


What I Need

by ThatOneAwkwardFangirl_Liz_Cecil



Series: it all works out in time [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Any Tagged Ships Play Big Roles, Coffee Shops, College Student Shimizu Kiyoko, Crack, Different Types of Love, Drama, Except Not Really AU, F/F, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Genderfluid Yamaguchi Tadashi, Hinata and Yachi are Best Friends, Humor, I've been reading what I've written and, Long-Distance Friendship, Mutual Pining, Oops, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Personal Growth, Post-Canon, Second Year Yachi Hitoka, Self-Discovery, Sexuality Crisis, Slow Burn, Social Anxiety, Texting, This is fifty percent a chatfic, Underage Drinking, Useless Lesbians, i don't make the rules, just a lil, other ships are Definitely There, slowwwwwww burn, so just bc it's mainly kiyoyachi, the bokuaka is strong in this one
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-05-07 06:55:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 26,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19204192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatOneAwkwardFangirl_Liz_Cecil/pseuds/ThatOneAwkwardFangirl_Liz_Cecil
Summary: Kiyoko and Yachi try to maintain their friendship when Kiyoko goes to college, while navigating new life experiences and building new relationships and friendships.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the staple fic of this series, and I need you to know that.
> 
> The chapters will go Kiyoko POV>chat>Yachi POV>chat, so, yeah! It's got a little bit of everything, and it's definitely a lot more than _just_ a KiyoYachi. It's a long, slow-burn, with a lot of feelings involved. I love them both so much.

Pictures of friends and the team were set on her desk, the last touch of moving in.

She looked at each of them, smiling at the memories. It wasn’t like she was that far from home, but college made it feel that way.

_Hitoka-chan_.

She couldn’t lie, most of her memory pictures were of _her_. It wasn’t that she liked her more than everyone else, it was just… No, that was exactly it. She liked her more than everyone else.

_“You’ll come home to see me, right, Kiyoko-san?”_

_“Every weekend, I’ll do my best!”_

That was a promise she was dead set on keeping.

She left her room, still seeing no sign of her roommate. Kiyoko knew she was meant to have one, but she didn’t know who she was or if she planned on turning up. Her bedroom door was open, and she saw some stuff was in it. _Weird._

There was supposed to be a bunch of events for the new students, so Kiyoko headed out to see what there was. She wasn’t exactly itching to socialize, but it was the right thing to do. She was going to need to meet new people.

 

Kiyoko looked at a bulletin board with loads of things on it, wondering what to do. There were bonfires, new clubs meeting, parties…

“I want to go to the party!” someone cheered from behind her. “Ooh, or the bonfire! I don’t know – Daichi, you choose!”

_Daichi…_ It wasn’t exactly an uncommon name, but that wasn’t exactly a common voice.

“Suga, we can do whatever you’d like. Just pick something!”

“I want to do all the things!”

She turned around to see two familiar guys standing at the bulletin board next to hers. “Sugawara-kun? Sawamura-kun?”

They turned around.

“Kiyoko!” they both cried.

“I didn’t know you guys were going here,” she said, rubbing her neck anxiously. “Hey!”

“Hi!” Suga waved. “Oh, this is great! So great! I wonder who else is going here!” He gasped. “You should join us for lunch!”

“Oh, I don’t know…”

“It could be fun,” Daichi said, smiling kindly. “Beats the hell out of trying to talk to strangers, right?”

“Y-yeah. Yeah, it does. Okay,” I decided. “Let’s go.”

“Hey, do you know which activity you’re going to tonight?” Suga asked. “I can’t choose.”

“What if we all go to the party together?” she offered. “It’s in my building.”

“Oh, we’re a couple down,” Daichi said, “but that sounds great!”

“And if you’re too exhausted to walk home, you have a couch to crash on – um, if my roommate doesn’t care.”

“Does she seem like the type who would?” Suga asked.

Kiyoko shrugged. “I’ve never met her. She has some stuff in my room, but…”

“That’s weird.”

“What about you guys?”

“Oh, we’re roommates,” Daichi explained.

“Of _course_ ,” she replied.

“What’s that meant to mean?” Suga asked.

“Nothing, Sugawara-kun,” Kiyoko assured him. “You guys are best friends. I should have expected that.” _Plus, they’re so obviously smitten…_

“Too bad your best friend is still in high school, right?” Daichi sighed. “Hey, but when Yacchan starts university in two years!”

“I’ll never let her out of my sight again,” she joked.

Even though she was still nervous, it was nice to recognize some people. She was glad that graduation ended up not having to be the last time she saw these guys.

 

“It’s so hard not to constantly check on everyone,” Suga whined as they ate. “I had to delete Instagram off of my phone!”

“Oh my god, really?” Kiyoko asked.

“I did it, because he couldn’t bring himself to,” Daichi laughed. “He was getting depressed.”

Kiyoko pulled out her phone and opened the app. “Well, you just need to learn how to control yourself, so you don’t get lost in it. Here.” She showed him the first-years hanging out at a park.

“I miss them!” he sobbed.

“They’re doing great, though,” Daichi reminded him, patting his arm. “Are you going to finish that?”

“I’m too depressed to eat; take whatever you want!”

“Look what you’ve done now,” Daichi teased before taking Suga’s plate.

“What do you want to do until the party?” Kiyoko asked them, trying to change the subject so that Suga would stop sulking.

“We could go back to our place – or yours! But that might not be the best way to meet your roommate.”

“Yeah, your place is fine,” she agreed. She didn’t want her roommate to think she was going to have random guys over all the time, because she most certainly was not.

“This is going to be great,” Suga cheered. “We’re going to be the best friend group now that we’re in college!”

“It’s too bad Azumane-kun isn’t here,” she sighed. “I always did like him.”

“He doesn’t live too far,” Daichi told me. “We can probably get him here whenever – especially if you’re the one who asked.”

“Good to know!”

 

“Do you think we’re supposed to dress a certain way for the party?” Kiyoko asked them, feeling nervous. “I’m literally two doors down; I can change so fast.”

“I think we’re all okay,” Daichi said, looking at Suga more than her.

“Alright.” She didn’t want to admit that she was just scared to go inside.

Once they walked in, the anxiety hit her like a tidal wave. There was music blaring, people talking, and the energy was just _too much_. Shegrabbed Daichi’s arm without even thinking about it.

“H-huh?” He jumped.

“Grow up,” she whispered. “It’s loud and there’s a lot of people.”

“O-okay!” He took a firm hold of her hand, and her anxiety subdued as she got more annoyed that they were _still_ like this, after three years of knowing her.

Suga looked over and saw, so he walked around them and grabbed her other hand. “We’ve both got you! You don’t have to be nervous!”

“What do we _do_?” Kiyoko asked, looking around.

“We could get punch?” Suga suggested, looking at the bowl. “Nope, that’s spiked.”

“We could _talk_ to people?” Daichi pointed out.

“I-I dunno,” she said. “I hate when guys look at me, ugh.” Someone was checking her out across the room, and there was no way she’d give him the time of day. Guys could be such creeps.

“I’ll punch him,” Daichi offered, already starting to move.

“Sawamura-kun,” she hissed, pulling him back.

“Okay, fine! But if you need me to hit anyone, you have my number!”

“That’s- that’s great, Daichi.”

She let go of their hands, but stayed close. She didn’t want to interact with a bunch of strangers if she didn’t absolutely have to.

“Do you want anything?” Suga asked. “Food? Water? Punch? Alcohol? An engagement r-?”

“Sugawara-kun.”

“Sorry! Anything? I’m grabbing water for myself.”

“Uh, yeah, water would be nice,” she agreed.

“I’ll be right back!”

He returned a moment later with two cups of water.

“Thanks, Sugawara.”

She went to step back so he could walk past, but she bumped into someone.

“I’m so sorry!” she gasped, whipping around so fast her water splashed.

“Hey, hey, he- _hey_!” Before she could process the familiar guy in front of ger, the three of them were engulfed in a muscular hug. “Daichi!” The former captain got a second hug.

“Bokuto-san?” Kiyoko gasped.

“Yeah! Oh, you’ll never believe – Tetsurou! Get over here! Look who I found!”

“Daichi? Hey, man!” Kuroo had joined them, and Daichi got crushed for the third time.

“Hey, guys.”

“How awesome that you guys are going here too?!” Bokuto cheered.

“Yeah, pretty awesome,” Daichi said, scratching the back of his head.

It was funny how easily the two overwhelmed him when he used to have to micromanage ten volleyball members.

“I wonder who else we know here!” Kuroo said.

“Well, Yukie’s here,” Bokuto said happily. “She said I can crash with her if I’m too drunk to go home!”

“You’re drunk?” Daichi asked.

“Yeah, can’t you tell?”

“N-not really?”

Kiyoko had to agree with him. He was…the same. Maybe a little louder, but that was all. Daichi’s reaction was perfect, and she couldn’t help but laugh.

The four guys went silent and stared at her.

“What?”

“That _sound_ ,” Suga gasped.

“Do it again!” Kuroo begged.

“It was angelic!” Bokuto agreed.

“So cute!” Daichi blurted out.

“Get a grip,” she scolded.

“Yeah, Koutarou!” A feminine figure appeared behind Bokuto, hands on her hips and a grin on her face. “Get a fucking grip!”

“Yukie?”

“Kiyoko!” She pushed the guys aside with surprising ease and hugged her. “Amazing! I’ve been looking for a girl I knew! Let’s grab food!”

Yukie led Kiyoko away from them, and she felt a little relieved.

“Thanks.”

“No problem. Sometimes they’re chill, but sometimes they’re creeps,” she sympathized.

“Yeah,” I agreed. “So, you’re in this building, too?”

“Yeah – wait, you are?”

“Yeah!”

“Awesome! We could hang out sometime, cry together over classes!”

“Yeah, that would be nice,” Kiyoko laughed.

“Yes, great, laughing, smiling, good!” Yukie cheered, shaking me. “Loosen up, Kiyoko! It’s a party! Is- is this _water_? Oh, no, no, no. Honey. Welcome to university. We’re getting you spiked punch and you’re going to have fun!”

“I don’t know-”

“Hey, I’m not going to let anyone near you or anything bad happen to you. Let’s have a fun time, Shimizu-chan!”

 

Once she was with Yukie, she started to have some fun. Yukie even pulled her into dancing, which was embarrassing but still enjoyable.

“See!” Yukie grabbed Kiyoko’s hips and moved her with her. “Fun! Okay, it’s a good thing we’re in the same building, because I’m going to have a lot of work to do on getting you to enjoy yourself.”

“I’m an introvert, Yukie,” Kiyoko said, turning to face her. “I have fun, just not at parties.”

“You’re smiling,” she sang. “I think you’re having fun now!”

“Maybe,” Kiyoko laughed, looking away.

“Shimizu-chan~!”

She turned to see Daichi and Suga, complete disasters with Bokuto and Kuroo.

“Ah, jeez,” she groaned.

“Come on, we aren’t their mothers,” Yukie whined. “Not anymore, at least.”

“I think we are,” Kiyoko sighed. “Sorry. Do you have my number from Nationals?”

“Yeah, yeah. Go on.”

“Alright. It was great seeing you again!”

“You too!”

“Alright, come on, you two.” Kiyoko put an arm around Daichi and Suga, pulling them towards the door.

“We’re leaving?” Suga cried.

“It’s late, and you’re both drunk. I mean, seriously, you two? Giving in to Bokuto-san and Kuroo-san. I expected our former team parents to be more responsible than that!”

“You drank with Yukie~!” Daichi pointed out, stumbling into the hallway.

“I had one drink, and I took an hour and a half to drink it.” She let go of them and grabbed her keys from her pocket. “Let’s get you two to sleep. Come on.”

They both collapsed onto the couch almost immediately, shamelessly laying on each other.

“Yep. You’re welcome. Good night.” She found an extra blanket in her room to put over them, then went to sleep.

Who knew going to school with her old friends would end up being such a chore?

 

The next morning, Kiyoko smelled coffee being made. Before she even left her room, she had decided that she was going to love her roommate.

“Okay, boys, extra strong coffee coming up!”

“Yukie?” she gasped, looking in the kitchen. Sure enough, there Yukie was, wearing an oversized Fukurodani shirt and pouring coffee for four hungover boys sitting at our table.

“Kiyoko! I had a feeling you might be my roommate when I saw these nerds crashed on the couch!”

“You drank twice as much as us,” Kuroo complained.

“How are you not hungover?” Bokuto finished.

She just smiled at all of them. “You’re going to drink coffee, and then you’re going to get out of my dorm!”

“Thanks,” Kiyoko whispered, grabbing a mug for herself. “Kind of glad it’s you and not someone who would’ve freaked at the guys on our couch.”

“Yeah,” she agreed, laughing. “Your old teammates sure are a cuddly pair.”

“I’m sure.”

“They living together?”

“Yeah.”

“Figures.”

“Kuroo and Bokuto?”

“You think those morons could ever be separated?”

“Fair point.”

“We can _hear you_ ,” Suga complained as they walked back to the table.

“Whatever, lightweights,” Yukie teased, sitting down with her coffee. Kiyoko sat between her and Daichi. “So, any of you nerds playing this year?”

“I am,” Daichi said.

“Me too,” Suga added.

“You know we are,” Bokuto answered.

“Nice.”

“Kiyoko!” Suga gasped.

“What?”

“You should go for being our manager!”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Kiyoko said. “I mean, I enjoyed it in high school, but…”

“Oh, were you thinking of going back to track?” he asked. “I know you were really good at hurdles, right?”

“I’m not going back to track,” Kiyoko assured him. “I was thinking of joining new kinds of clubs, though. Not always hanging out with the same crowd…”

“Oh.” Both of them looked like she just threw their hearts at a wall.

“Oh, I don’t mean it like that!” she promised them. “I just mean I want to make new friends, too! Then, I can hang out with you guys, or other people. You know?”

“Yeah,” Daichi sighed. “I guess. It would have been cool to work with you, though.”

“Someone who already knows our strengths on the court…”

“Already knows the kinds of things we need to work on in order to improve…”

“Alright, alright. I’ll think about it.”

“Yes!”

 

Once they left, Yukie just shook her head at Kiyoko.

“What?”

“You’re so weak for them,” she criticized.

“I did enjoy managing them,” Kiyoko pointed out.

“You’re scared to try new things!”

“I’m not!”

“Good. Come on; get ready and then we’re going out.”

“Where?”

“You know. To do stuff. Get things for our shared home. Don’t look so nervous! We’re going to have fun together, Kiyoko!”

Kiyoko smiled. “Alright. I trust you, then, Yukie.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be honest, everything goes downhill after this chat chapter? It's great so read it
> 
> (I'm kidding, but also, I'm not kidding, I've been working on this for months and i'm proud of it.)

_12:35 p.m._

**Hitoka:** Hi, Shimizu-san! How’s college life so far?

**Kiyoko:** Hi, Hitoka-chan! It’s alright – mostly just hanging out with my roommate and going to some welcome parties.

**Hitoka:** Ooh, sounds fun! So, you like your roommate, then?

**Kiyoko:** Yeah! Actually, she’s Fukurodani’s old manager, Shirofuku Yukie!

**Hitoka:** So cool!

**Kiyoko:** Yeah. She’s fun to hang out with!

**Hitoka:** That’s good!

**Kiyoko:** You’ll never believe who else I ran into though!!!!

**Hitoka:** Who?

**Kiyoko:** Daichi and Suga!

**Hitoka:** Whoa!! That’s so cool! Are they going to play volleyball again?

**Kiyoko:** Yeah! I’m…actually going to be their manager again!

**Hitoka:** Awesome! You’re so good at it, Shimizu-san!

**Kiyoko:** Thanks!

**Kiyoko:** I’m glad I have Yukie to get help from for dealing with Bokuto-san’s mood swings, though…

**Hitoka:** Bokuto-san goes to your school too?

**Kiyoko:** And Kuroo-san!

**Hitoka:** Sounds like a party!

**Kiyoko:** It’s…it’s something, alright.

 

**It’s a Small World After All**

_3:06 p.m._

**Bokuto:** Hey, hey, hey!

**Kuroo:** We’re making a chat because we all should stay friends now that we go to school together!

**Sugawara:** Oh, how fun!!

**Shirofuku:** We could just, hang out, irl, like normal people, nerds

**Sawamura:** I agree with Yukie^

**Shimizu:** ^^

**Shirofuku:** Also, what boring ass chat names, you guys

_[Bokuto has changed Shirofuku to Yukippe]_

**Yukippe:** Okay, that’s vaguely more interesting, Kou

**Bokuto:** :D

_[Bokuto has changed Kuroo to Daddy Cat.]_

**Daddy Cat:** thanks I hate it

_[Bokuto has changed Sugawara to Mom Friend.]_

**Mom Friend:** Nicee

_[Bokuto has changed Sawamura to Thighs.]_

**Thighs:** Horrific.

**Bokuto:** they’re your best feature, Daichi, I don’t make the rules

**Mom Friend:** he’s not wrong

_[Bokuto has changed Shimizu to Goddess.]_

**Goddess:** No undo bad memories please

_[Bokuto has changed Goddess to Gorgeous.]_

**Gorgeous:** You know what? That’s fine.

_[Daddy Cat has changed Bokuto to Great Horny Owl.]_

**Great Horny Owl:** I hate u, tetsu

**Daddy Cat:** it’s what you deserve kou

**Yukippe:** pfffff awesome Tetsurou

**Daddy Cat:** Besides we all know who the thirst is for

**Yukippe:** Speaking of Akaashi have you talked to him since we graduated and abandoned him

**Great Horny Owl:** unfriended unfollowed blocked reported my mom’s calling your mom

**Thighs:** Wait, what?

**Mom Friend:** keep up Daichi he’s in love with Akaashi

**Mom Friend:** or just horny for him

**Mom Friend:** In which case I mean aren’t we all

**Thighs:** Wait, w h at

**Great Horny Owl:** Suga- I will call u out

**Great Horny Owl:** Kuroo- k e n m a

**Great Horny Owl:** Daichi- stay clueless thigh guy ur an angel

**Daddy Cat:** LOW BLOW BOKUTO

**Thighs:** W h a t??

**Gorgeous:** Bokuto is in love with Akaashi, Suga is in love with someone, Kuroo is in love with Kenma, and everyone wants to hit it with Akaashi

**Yukippe:** well said kiyo-chan

**Gorgeous:** thanks <3

**Great Horny Owl:** its UNTRUE

**Daddy Cat:** MISUNDERSTANDING

**Mom Friend:** I am only in love with volleyball

**Gorgeous:** Bold words from someone who’s proposed to me more than once

**Thighs:** Who knew Kiyoko actually had hidden sass

**Yukippe:** Have you…ever talked to her…thigh-kun…

_8:06 a.m._

**Yukippe:** hey shimishimi u at class yet?

**Gorgeous:** not yet why

**Yukippe:** we’re outa cereal

**Gorgeous:** we…just…got some…

**Yukippe:** yea…

**Great Horny Owl:** oh yea she does that sorry I should’ve warned u

**Yukippe:** mm food

**Gorgeous:** oh my god

**Gorgeous:** eat breakfast in the dining hall for now we’ll get some from the store tonight

**Yukippe:** yay ok thanks good luck at your first class of the semester you 830am class taking freak of nature

**Gorgeous:** I’m a morning person!

**Yukippe:** not for long babe, not for long

 

**Second-Year Squad <3 :D**

_8:20 a.m._

**Sunshine Child:** First day of school!!!!! Who’s excited????

**Grump:** Apparently u are

**Sunshine Child:** New volleyball season!!!!!!!

**Grump:** Ok, I am pretty excited for that

**Pure Bean:** I can’t wait to meet all the new members!

**Sunshine Child:** I wonder how cool the first-years will b!!

**Saltishima:** Oh great. More people to pretend I like.

**Pure Bean:** You’ve been pretending to like us all this time?

**Saltishima:** Yes.

**Pure Bean:** You’re not very good at it, then, Tsukishima.

**Sunshine Child:** Yacchan isn’t wrong ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

**Gucci:** He secretly loves all of you, I promise!!

**Saltishima:** Shut up Yamaguchi

**Gucci:** Sorry Tsukki :P

**Pure Bean:** Haha it’s okay Tadashi we know

**Gucci:** Oh and…

**Gucci:** I look a little different today!

**Gucci:** So…

**Gucci:** Please don’t freak out!!

**Saltishima:** and if you do freak out

**Saltishima:** I will harm you

**Gucci:** Tsukki!!!!

**Gucci:** They’re allowed to be mildly alarmed

**Sunshine Child:** You’re not injured are u?!?!?

**Gucci:** No!

**Sunshine Child:** Ok then I don’t see y we would freak out u can still play volleyball

**Gucci:** True

**Sunshine Child:** See u soon!!

 

_8:25 a.m._

**Kiyoko:** Hey Hitoka-chan! Good luck for your first day!!

**Hitoka:** Thanks, Shimizu-san! You too!!

**Kiyoko:** Thanks!

**Kiyoko:** Let me know how club goes tonight! Gotta put away my phone before class starts

**Hitoka:** Ok! Let me know too!!

**Kiyoko:** I will!!

 

**It’s a Small World After All**

_5:01 p.m._

**Yukippe:** _[all_the_cereal.jpg]_

**Yukippe:** breakfast for DAYYYYYSSSSS

**Gorgeous:** We had coupons

**Great Horny Owl:** lmao good luck living with her Kiyo because she will eat u out of house and home

**Daddy Cat:** for a sec I thought u just said she would eat her out and I was like dude u cant just say that

**Gorgeous:** Kuroo-san, shut up.

**Daddy Cat:** Sorry, Shimizu-san.

**Mom Friend:** You’re coming with us to volleyball tryouts right???

**Gorgeous:** I’ll be there, Suga-kun

**Mom Friend:** Yayayayay

**Thighs:** Calm down, Suga

**Yukippe:** don’t bail on me for baking club tomorrow

**Great Horny Owl:** ur only going there because there will be food

**Yukippe:** Ye ✌

**Gorgeous:** I won’t bail on you Yukie I promise

**Yukippe:** Better the fuck not

**Yukippe:** I know where u live

**Gorgeous:** Obviously


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an okay chapter but the thing is that my KageHina and TsukkiYama fics start on the same day so it's a lot of repeat content just from other POVs and so my editing life has been hell

Hitoka smiled at her phone before putting it away. It had only been a short while, but she missed Kiyoko so much already. She didn’t even want to _imagine_ club without her today!

“YACCHAN!”

She only had moments to prepare herself before Hinata attacked her in a hug.

“Hey, Shou-chan!”

He picked her up and spun her. “It’s been _forever_!”

“It’s been like a week since we hung out!” Hitoka giggled. “Can you please put me down now?”

“Sorry! Is everyone else here yet?”

“Just us,” she confirmed.

He smiled. “Yes! First day of school, and I’m already beating Kageyama!”

“Why do you always have to be better than him?” she asked for the millionth time. “He’s your teammate and your _best friend_.”

“ _You’re_ my best friend!” he argued.

“You know what I mean, Shouyou.”

“Have you talked to Kiyoko-senpai?” he asked, avoiding her question.

She waved her phone at him. “We were just talking.”

“How is she?” The tips of his ears turned pink.

“Good,” she said, laughing. “You still have a crush on her?”

“ _You_ still have a crush on her!”

She stared at him, trying to think of a come back, but she was at a loss. Instead, she just stammered until someone joined them.

“Hey, Yachi-chan. Hinata.”

“Kageyama! I beat you!” Hinata cheered, putting an arm around him.

“Yeah, well, you still have to beat me to practice, or it doesn’t count.”

“Nu-uh! Not fair!”

“Those are the rules since you started racing me to school.”

“No they’re not! You’re making it up!”

“You made them up last semester!”

“Liar!”

“Hey, losers.” Hitoka looked over to see Tsukishima walking to them, headphones still half on.

“Where’s Tadashi?” she asked him.

He shrugged. “Yamaguchi will be here soon. Running late or something I guess?”

 

Everyone’s classes got announced – Hitoka was in Class 5 again this year – so they all headed their separate ways.

“You’re so smart!” Hinata sighed. “I wish I wasn’t so stupid! We’ll never have class together!”

“At least we have class together this year,” Kageyama said.

“Yeah, yeah, but I wanna be with _Hitoka_!”

“What’s wrong with me, dumbass?!”

“Well, you’re stupid, you have weird hair, and you’re not very good at human interaction,” Hinata recited before going pale. “Don’t hurt me!”

“Looks like we’ll be with you this year, Yachi,” Tsukishima called, walking their way with a pretty girl. Hitoka could have sworn she knew her…

“H-hey, guys!”

“Yamaguchi?” Hinata gasped.

Sure enough, it was Yamaguchi Tadashi, in the girls’ uniform.

“Hi!”

“Your hair is longer!” The observation definitely wasn’t wrong. “So cool!”

Tadashi blushed. “Thanks, Shou-chan!”

“You’re wearing the girls’ uniform,” Kageyama said bluntly.

“Y-yeah!”

“Are you still playing for the boys’ team, or are you switching?”

“Still for the guys!” Yamaguchi assured them.

“She’s genderfluid, you unobservant morons,” Tsukishima growled, putting an arm around her. “So, today, she’s a girl.”

“Usually, I’m masculine-leaning, though!” she explained. “Just, today, I wasn’t!”

“You look so cute!” Hinata cheered, hugging her. “In the skirt! With the lip gloss! Wow!”

“Th-thank you!”

“You’re so pretty!” Hitoka agreed, because it was _true_. Yamaguchi had always been a pretty person, but wearing feminine things really accentuated it.

“You really think so?” she asked.

“Yeah!”

“I’m so glad you guys are okay with this!”

“You’d better be,” Tsukishima said darkly, tightening his grip around her and glaring at them.

“Tsukki,” she laughed, “they are.”

“The school is okay with this?” Hitoka asked her.

“Yeah!”

“That’s so cool!” Hitoka cheered. “Just let me know your pronouns whenever they change, okay?”

“I will!”

“Are you using the girls’ locker room with me today, then?”

She frowned. “I- I hadn’t really thought about it.”

“Well, you can if it would make you feel more comfortable. I was in drama for a short time, so I can change in front of anyone.”

“You almost fainted when we changed in front of you for the first time,” Tsukishima reminded her, oh so kindly.

“In my defense, I wasn’t prepared!”

“Yamaguchi, you can change with us still,” he said, remaining the over-protective best friend.

“I- I actually might take Yachi up on her offer, Tsukki, but I know that. Thanks. I’m still…I’m still getting used to this! I keep mis-gendering _myself_ and it’s…it’s a whole thing!”

“Just keep us updated,” Hitoka told her, giving her a quick hug.

 

When Hitoka was in the locker room, there was a quiet knock.

“Yacchan, can I come in?”

“Yeah, Yamaguchi, come on in,” Hitoka called, pulling her shirt over her head.

“You’re really not weird about this?” she asked, averting her eyes. “I don’t want you to think I’m a pervert or anything.”

Hitoka smiled at her gently. “It’s really okay. I promise. You can change in the bathroom stall if you want – or I can! Whatever makes you comfortable.”

“I’m fine with whatever – I just want to make sure you’re really comfortable! I don’t want you to feel like you’re supposed to make me feel better!”

“Yamaguchi,” Hitoka laughed, grabbing sweatpants from her bag. “I’m really okay, however. If I can change around Kiyoko, I can change around anyone.”

“Oh, man,” Yamaguchi gasped. “I would faint if she were here!”

“I almost did the first time too,” Hitoka admitted. “She’s so pretty!”

“Right?”

Hitoka finished getting dressed and pulled her hair back with a couple of clips. It was too long for that to be efficient, but still too short to hold a ponytail.

Tadashi pulled back her hair into a real ponytail and smiled sheepishly at Hitoka. “Thanks for being so cool about this, Yachi.”

Hitoka hugged her. “Of course! Let’s go, before Tanaka-san and Noya-san have a great big misunderstanding.”

“Yikes.”

They hurried out, only bumping into Hinata, Kageyama, and Tsukishima.

“Ready to meet the new members?” Hinata asked.

“Yeah!” Yamaguchi replied.

“Remember when _we_ joined last year?” he sighed.

“Yeah. Suga-san kicked us out,” Kageyama said, frowning at him.

“Only because you started a fight!”

“I started a fight? _You_ started it, dumbass!”

“Did not!”

“Did so!”

They went to hit each other, so Tsukishima pulled Hitoka and Yamaguchi back, protecting them both.

“Idiots!” he called over his shoulder, ushering them into the gym.

“Stop acting like I’m fragile,” Yamaguchi complained, pushing his hand off of her. “I’m okay!”

“No one wants to be caught in the middle of those morons fighting,” he justified himself, turning pink. “Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

“Tsukki! You don’t have to try so hard! It’s…it’s all very weird! But I’m okay! Come on, let’s just get started.”

“YACCHAN!!!”

Two third-years charged Hitoka, but Tsukishima picked her up and set her aside just in time. Nishinoya-san and Tanaka-san stumbled as they tried to stop.

“Have you talked to Kiyoko-san?” Tanaka asked, starry-eyed.

“How is she?” Noya looked the same.

“Sh-she’s good!” Hitoka stammered.

“I already miss her, Yuu!”

“Me too, Ryuu!”

The two continued to whine until Ennoshita-san came in and glared at them.

“Enno-kun!” They both cheered.

“Look at you, being the captain!” Tanaka ruffled his hair, smiling proudly.

“You’re gonna be great!” Noya punched him in the stomach affectionately.

“Stop it!” Ennoshita told them. “Has anyone new showed up yet?”

“No,” Hitoka told him.

“Oh, Yacchan, good! You’re here!”

“Of course! We have to start working right away, don’t we?”

“Yes! Hi, Yamaguchi-chan, Tsukishima-kun.”

Yamaguchi turned red and bowed respectfully. “Ennoshita-senpai!”

“She told you?” Tsukishima asked.

“Of course. She wanted to make sure I was okay with it. Not that I really see why it would be a problem, since it’s not like it changes how she plays.”

“Is no one going to address Shrimpy and Blueberry beating the shit out of each other outside?” Narita called when he walked in. “Or, what?”

Tanaka shrugged. “I’m pretty sure that’s just how they’re friends now.”

“No one seemed to be hurt,” Kinoshita verified. “I’m just worried they’ll scare off anyone new.”

“Ironic, since they’re also probably who everyone’s coming to see,” Hitoka pointed out. “Thanks to winning Nationals, and my flyers, no less!”

Tsukishima rolled his eyes at that. “Right, the King and the Little Giant.”

“T-Tsukishima Kei?”

They all turned to the doors where a first-year stood, trembling in his skin.

“Yes?” Tsukishima replied.

“Y-you’re the one! The one who blocked one of Ushijima Wakatoshi’s spikes!”

Hitoka had never seen Tsukishima freeze up before right then.

“Um, yes. That…that was – yes. I did do that, once,” he stammered out, as uncomfortable as if Kageyama had just held his hand or something.

The boy bowed sharply. “Tsukishima-senpai! Please teach me to block!”

Tsukki looked between Hitoka and Yamaguchi, clearly panicking, but they didn’t have anything to tell him.

“Well…I mean…we haven’t…we haven’t even set up yet,” he pointed out, trying to shoo the first year away.

“Oh, right! Sorry! But once the club starts for the year, will you please?”

“Y-yeah, sure.”

Tanaka crossed his arms and grinned. “Congratulations, Saltyshima! You’re a senpai now.”

 

A total of three first-years joined, which perfectly filled in the three empty spots left by their senpais. There was Yoshioka Tsubasa, the middle blocker who admired Tsukki, Aoki Ryouta, a setter, and Sakai Yuuto, a libero. From what Hitoka understood, Yoshioka and Sakai were old childhood friends.

“Alright, so in two weeks, we’ll have some practice matches against teams in our prefects,” Ennoshita told everyone. “Then, in a month, we’ll have practice matches with Fukurodani and Nekoma, from Tokyo!”

“So cool,” the first-years marveled.

“Obviously, we want to go to Nationals in the fall. I think if we work hard to find how we fit together as a team, we can do it!”

“Yeah!”

“Now,” Coach Ukai interrupted, “I would like to figure out who our regulars and starting players will be by the matches with Fukurodani and Nekoma. Please, give it your all this next month. I want to see what you’re all made out of, okay?”

They were dismissed, and the second-years started walking together.

“I already have homework,” Hinata complained. “What happened?”

“Second year. Things are different,” Hitoka told him.

“Wanna work on it together?” he asked.

“Yeah, sure!”

“We could all hang out somewhere, if you wanted,” he offered.

“I’d rather eat a rock,” Tsukishima said.

“We’d love to,” Yamaguchi interrupted. She was in casual clothes now, but just as cute as when she was wearing her school uniform. Hitoka was glad that she was getting more comfortable with herself.

“How about that new setter?” Hinata said. “Aoki-kun has such a cool setup, don’t you think, Tobio?”

Kageyama huffed. “He’s good, yeah. Could use some discipline, but I think he’ll probably end up being a regular.”

“What about Yoshioka-kun?” Hitoka mentioned to Tsukishima, bumping into him. “Isn’t he fun?”

“Tch.”

“He admires you, Tsukki!” Yamaguchi said. “That’s so cool!”

“Well, whatever!”

“You’ll teach him to block, won’t you?” Hitoka asked. “You have to admit, what you did at Finals last year was _pretty cool_.”

He shook his head. “I only did it once-”

“Stop! We’ve been over this,” Tadashi sighed. “You were really cool, and if you call yourself lame, I will have to hit you.”

“Shut up, Yamaguchi!”

“It’s true, Tsukki!” she insisted. “You were so cool!”

“ _So_ cool!” Hitoka agreed.

“How many pretty girls have to say it before you believe it?” Hinata cried.

“Shut _up_!”

This made the second time Hitoka had seen Tsukki get so flustered.

“You- you really think I’m a pretty girl?” Tadashi asked.

“So pretty!” Hinata gasped. “Look at you! You’re just so! And! Ooh! Wah!”

She laughed. “Thanks, Shouyou.”

Tsukishima – probably subconsciously – put his arm back around her. “Weren’t we going to find somewhere to do homework or something?”

“Yeah,” Hitoka remembered before pointing to a nearby park. “What about there?”

“It’s kind of cold for that,” Kageyama pointed out. “What about that café over there?”

“Oh, yeah, that works.”

 

“How am I supposed to remember this?” Hinata complained, glaring at his homework.

“Here, Shou-kun, show it to me,” Yamaguchi said, moving to his side of the table.

“I just can’t _do it_!”

“Well, here’s where you made the mistake – it’s okay, I do this all the time too. Want me to explain it to you, or do you think you’ve got it?” she asked.

“Explain it, _please_!”

“Do you need help, Tobio-kun?” Hitoka asked, looking at Kageyama glaring at his paper.

“No.”

“Okay. Then, do you need to talk about something?”

“No!”

“Okay, okay.”

 

Hinata walked Hitoka to the train station, like he had been since first-year.

“Yamaguchi looked cute today,” Hitoka noted, feeling herself go a little red. “Like, really cute…”

“She really did!” he agreed, blushing himself. “It wasn’t even weird to see her as a girl.” After a moment, he asked, “Do you think she’ll be a guy again tomorrow?”

“She said that usually she is masculine-leaning, so maybe. Why?”

“I don’t know.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Maybe Yamaguchi has always been cute, and we just never noticed it before.”

“What, you got a crush on her?” she asked. “Ooh! You do!”

“I don’t know! I can’t know, until I like her in every gender. Otherwise, it’s not a real crush.”

“O- _kay_ ,” she sang.

“So, tell me again about Kiyoko?”

“Nice, deflecting, but it’s not going to work. I’ve accepted my feelings for her a long time ago, Hinata.”

“Sure, sure.” They reached the station, so he hugged her goodbye. “See you tomorrow?”

“See you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Genderfluid Yamaguchi is my Shit™. Hope you enjoyed this!
> 
> Follow me on [Twitter](https://www.twitter.com/lovingyachi) and scream with me about Haikyuu!! and other shit  
> 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I didn't finish updating yesterday because it was Independence Day here in America which meant fireworks and I'm in Detroit which meant LOTS of fireworks which meant panic attacks until 3 a.m. so I wasn't exactly in the frame of mind to edit. But it's quiet now and my heart has finally mostly calmed down so let's go

_9:16 p.m._

**Kiyoko:** Hey, Hitoka-chan!

 **Kiyoko:** You’ll never BELIEVE who else goes here.

 **Hitoka:** Hi Shimizu-san! Who is it?

 **Kiyoko:** Oikawa. Tooru.

 **Hitoka:** Oh my gosh!

 **Kiyoko:** And USHIJIMA WAKATOSHI.

 **Hitoka:** What?!?

 **Kiyoko:** Apparently Tendou Satori goes here too, but he stopped playing after high school.

 **Hitoka:** Wait, so you mean to say, Iwaizumi Hajime isn’t at the school with Oikawa?

 **Kiyoko:** No, surprisingly.

 **Hitoka:** That’s weird, I would’ve thought for sure they would stay together.

 **Kiyoko:** And none of them like Ushijima! I guess Oikawa just hates him, and Bokuto lost his spot in the top three aces to him?

 **Hitoka:** Oh, jeez.

 **Kiyoko:** I can’t believe I agreed to manage for them.

 **Hitoka:** Yeah, that’s…that’s a big responsibility!

 **Kiyoko:** I’m finally understanding why Yukie drank in high school.

 **Hitoka:** What??

 **Kiyoko:** Oh!!

 **Kiyoko:** Nothing!!

 **Kiyoko:** Forget I even said that!!

 **Kiyoko:** How was your practice today?

 **Hitoka:** Good! We got 3 new members!

 **Kiyoko:** Oh, that’s good!

 **Hitoka:** Yeah! Their names are Yoshioka, Aoki, and Sakai – blocker, setter, libero.

 **Kiyoko:** That’s cool! How does Nishinoya-kun feel about having another libero?

 **Hitoka:** He’s pretty excited, since Sakai-kun worships the ground he walks on.

 **Kiyoko:** Ha! Good for him, that’s great.

 **Hitoka:** He and Tanaka-senpai wouldn’t stop asking me how you were and if college was good for you.

 **Kiyoko:** If they come here next year, I’m transferring.

 **Hitoka:** Ha!

 **Hitoka:** Oh!!!

 **Kiyoko:** What?

 **Hitoka:** Guess who Yoshioka looks up to?

 **Kiyoko:** Who?

 **Hitoka:** TSUKKI.

 **Kiyoko:** HAHA, how’s he taking that?

 **Hitoka:** He’s not doing good, Kiyo, not good at all.

 **Hitoka:** He was expecting everyone to be fawning over Shouyou and Tobio, so when the first new kid came in and was talking to him, it surprised him.

 **Kiyoko:** Oh, I’m sure everyone’s just having a field day with that.

 **Hitoka:** Oh yeah!

 **Hitoka:** He’s committed to teaching him how to block.

 **Kiyoko:** Kuroo-san would be proud. His kouhai has become the senpai.

 **Hitoka:** I can’t wait to keep track of their practice, haha.

 **Kiyoko:** Let me know if Yuu-kun teaches Sakai-kun “Rolling Thunder”, and then get it on video, PLEASE.

 **Hitoka:** Oh, I will!!

 

**It’s a Small World After All**

_12:01 a.m._

**Great Horny Owl:** I love u Suga I do but idk something felt off in our setup today

 **Yukippe:** (hey shimishimi wanna play a game)

 **Gorgeous:** (yea sure)

 **Mom Friend:** Okay, Bokuto, do you want to get there early and do extra practice tomorrow?

 **Yukippe:** (I call it, is Bokuto keyboard smashing or typing Akaashi’s name)

 **Gorgeous:** (im in)

 **Great Horny Owl:** It’s just not the saaaaaameee

 **Mom Friend:** I know :/

 **Great Horny Owl:** I miss him sm!

 **Great Horny Owl:** Not bc I like him, Tetsu!!!!

 **Great Horny Owl:** But bc he’s my friend, and my setter

 **Daddy Cat:** ok man if u say so

 **Daddy Cat:** (yukie can I get in on this)

 **Yukippe:** (yea man)

 **Mom Friend:** I wish I could set to you just like he did, but it’s a whole new rhythm, now, Koutarou

 **Great Horny Owl:** What’s the point if it’s not aaaaaaaakkkkkasssshiihiii

 **Gorgeous:** (name typing right?)

 **Yukippe:** (ye)

 **Daddy Cat:** (for sure)

 **Thighs:** You just need to be patient with him, Bokuto. Suga is one of the best setters I’ve ever been able to work with

 **Mom Friend:** Aww Daichi!

 **Daddy Cat:** get a room

 **Mom Friend:** We, have a room?

 **Thighs:** We’re literally roommates, I don’t understand?

 **Daddy Cat:** w o w

 **Gorgeous:** Guys. Just. Okay. Yeah.

 **Great Horny Owl:** I wish my roommate was aaaaghghhkaasshihiihihii

 **Gorgeous:** (n…name???????)

 **Daddy Cat:** (u know what I don’t know)

 **Daddy Cat:** Hey I’m ur roommate u jerk

 **Great Horny Owl:** and ily man I do I really do

 **Great Horny Owl:** But

 **Great Horny Owl:** aksjsahshhiahihihiiiiii

 **Gorgeous:** (listen that was a smash it had to be a coincidental smash??????)

 **Yukippe:** (idk man I think it was a name)

 **Daddy Cat:** (idk I’m with kiyo on this)

 **Great Horny Owl:** PLEASE STOP PLAYING GAMES ABOUT MY FEELINGS IM SAD

 **Daddy Cat:** And we’re here for u!!

 **Great Horny Owl:** No ur not :(

 **Mom Friend:** ok but…was that a name or a keyboard smash

 **Great Horny Owl:** fuck u guys!

 **Thighs:** Come on, everyone, let’s try to be nice, here. Clearly Bokuto is having a difficult time adjusting without Akaashi-kun.

 **Great Horny Owl:** he was telling me all abt the new kids and how weird it was w/o me today :(

 **Great Horny Owl:** I’m going home I gotta go home Kuroo wanna come w me

 **Daddy Cat:** Sure man we’ll go this weekend

 **Great Horny Owl:** ok

 **Great Horny Owl:** im texting akaasshiiiieee now to tell him im coming to see him

 **Daddy Cat:** ok cool. I’ll text kenma now

 **Great Horny Owl:** see how am I the one getting teased for missing my setter

 **Mom Friend:** to be fair tetsu grew up with kenma

 **Mom Friend:** and uve only known Akaashi for a few years

 **Thighs:** come on it doesn’t matter how long if they’re your setter

 **Thighs:** I’m lucky you’re 1) my age and 2) my roommate

 **Mom Friend:** ud really miss me that much if I went to another school??

 **Thighs:** Yeah, of course

 **Daddy Cat:** aw how sweet disgusting tho please stop

 **Thighs:** What, am I not allowed to express that I care about my best friend?

 **Thighs:** What if you didn’t go to school with Bokuto?

 **Daddy Cat:** D: NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 **Great Horny Owl:** THAT’D BE AWFUL

 **Daddy Cat:** I LOVE U BRO

 **Great Horny Owl:** I LOVE U TOO BRO

 **Mom Friend:** And we’re disgustingly affectionate? Ok sure

 **Gorgeous:** Hey, we’re trying to go to sleep over here, please refrain from screaming into the chat until the morning?

 **Daddy Cat:** SORRY

 **Great Horny Owl:** WE’LL STOP NOW

 **Thighs:** Good night, Shimizu.

 **Gorgeous:** Good night, Daichi.

 

_7:30 p.m._

**Hitoka:** Hey, Shou-chan!

 **Hitoka:** So, Tadashi was a boy today…what’s the crushing verdict?

 **Shouyou:** hhhhnnnnnnnnnnnnnnjnjnjnjnjafjkdsjhagaiurahf;ck

 **Hitoka:** ok so I don’t know what that means?

 **Shouyou:** I’ve never…looked…at guys like that…before…

 **Hitoka:** I mean same?

 **Shouyou:** not what I mean u useless lesbian

 **Shouyou:** I’M SORRY I DIDN’T MEAN IT I LOVE U

 **Hitoka:** Meme insult accepted continue on with your crisis

 **Shouyou:** Thanks D:

 **Shouyou:** So it turns out Yamaguchi is ALWAYS super cute

 **Hitoka:** So you do like him?

 **Shouyou:** it gets worse though

 **Hitoka:** How?

 **Shouyou:** Well, once I realized he really WAS cute, and not even just objectively

 **Shouyou:** Like I actually thought about like, would I kiss him if I could? Yea, yea I would

 **Shouyou:** But THEN what if he’s not the only guy I accidentally missed

 **Hitoka:** So you don’t like him?

 **Shouyou:** I don’t know! I’m just starting to freak because what happens if I’ve liked a guy without realizing and what if I still like him and what if he hates me if I tell him and how can I be so scared when I don’t even know who he is

 **Hitoka:** Whoa!! Breathe!!

 **Shouyou:** srry im totally losing it right?

 **Hitoka:** No, no! You’re okay, Shouyou

 **Shouyou:** But I can’t be gay because I’ve liked girls!

 **Hitoka:** Right, but that’s not your only option

 **Shouyou:** I know D:

 **Shouyou:** Too many options!! I hate Google!!

 **Hitoka:** It’s okay, it’s okay.

 **Shouyou:** I DON’T MEAN IT GOOGLE PLESAE STIL HELP ME WITH HOMEWORK

 **Hitoka:** It can’t hear you.

 **Shouyou:** Google is always listening Hitoka

 **Shouyou:** I don’t want any of it! Can I please just live and not care

 **Hitoka:** I mean, yeah?

 **Shouyou:** wait rly

 **Hitoka:** Yeah! There’s no rule that says you have to choose a lable if you don’t want.

 **Shouyou:** oh

 **Shouyou:** that’s cool

 **Hitoka:** Yeah!!

 **Hitoka:** So, don’t stress yourself out!!

 **Shouyou:** I feel so much better now!!!!

 **Hitoka:** Good :)

 

**It’s a Small World After All**

_9:00 p.m._

**Yukippe:** we have sooooooo many cookies and cupcakes now

 **Yukippe:** baking club is the shit man

 **Great Horny Owl:** can I have some??

 **Yukippe:** NO

 **Gorgeous:** These will feed her for like a week u really want to take those? No. Don’t even look at our building, Koutarou

 **Daddy Cat:** u know it’s creepy

 **Daddy Cat:** uve lived together for 5 seconds and ur already starting to rub off on each other o.o

 **Great Horny Owl:** Super creppy

_[Thighs has added Ushijima and Oikawa to the conversation.]_

**Ushijima:** What is this?

 **Thighs:** It’s a group chat for all of us who ended up here and we knew each other in high school.

 **Ushijima:** Oh. Who are you?

 **Thighs:** Sawamura Daichi

 **Ushijima:** Okay. Why is that your name?

 **Thighs:** I…I can’t answer that one, Ushijima-san.

 **Mom Friend:** Cuz they’re his best feature ;)

 **Ushijima:** Okay, that’s fair.

 **Thighs:** ????????

 **Daddy Cat:** apparently everyones a little into Daichi nice

 **Gorgeous:** im not

 **Yukippe:** I am ;)

 **Great Horny Owl:** Me too ;)

 **Thighs:** this is weird stop

_9:32 p.m._

**Oikawa:** no what is this why am I here get me out no im not connecting with all of you non-iwa-chans sorry

 **Daddy Cat:** hey Bokuto look there’s another member for “I miss my boyfriend” squad

 **Great Horny Owl:** HES NOT MY BOYFRIEND

 **Oikawa:** well iwa-chan IS MY BOYFRIEND and I DO MISS HIM

 **Ushijima:** I’m sorry that you didn’t end up at the same school as him, Oikawa.

 **Oikawa:** You

 **Oikawa:** YOU

 **Oikawa:** Y O U

 **Oikawa:** Oh my god

 **Ushijima:** I don’t know what I did to offend you, but I truly am sorry.

 **Oikawa:** I don’t want to be here get me out I hate you all

 **Mom Friend:** Even me?

 **Oikawa:** …okay not you

 **Mom Friend:** :D

 **Oikawa:** I’ve had like two conversations with him and I already love him why is he such an angel

 **Thighs:** I ask myself that every day.

 **Mom Friend:** <3

 

_7:32 a.m._

**Hitoka:** Hey! Are you still coming home this weekend?

 **Kiyoko:** Yeah!! What do you wanna do?

 **Hitoka:** I dunno?

 **Kiyoko:** Well, I don’t care what we do. I just want to spend time with you!

 **Kiyoko:** Is it weird that I really miss you already?

 **Hitoka:** I miss you too!!

 

_7:39 a.m._

**Hitoka:** oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god shouyou shouyou shouyou answer me oh my god

 **Shouyou:** ???????!??!?!?? are u ok??!?!?

 **Hitoka:** iwas just talkign to kiyoko andj

 **Shouyou:** slow down! Calm down!

 **Hitoka:** she said shei missed me??!;/

 **Shouyou:** that’s good!!!

 **Hitoka:** she said when she comes home wshe doesn’t’ care wheat we do whse just wansts to spend time weith me??!

 **Shouyou:** OoooooooooooOHohOH sounds like a DATE

 **Hitoka:** Oh my god what am I gonna WEAR

 **Shouyou:** I’ll come over on Saturday to help!!!!

 **Hitoka:** Thank you!!!!!!!!!1!

 **Shouyou:** See u at morning practice in a few

 **Hitoka:** hnnnnngnngn yea

 

**Karasuno Volleyball Club 2019**

_7:45 a.m._

**Yoshioka:** Hi! Should we bring anything specific to practice this morning? Like a notebook?

 **Ennoshita:** Well, I don’t really see what you would need to take notes for, but if it would make you feel better, I don’t see why not.

 **Tanaka:** Anything you need written out, though, Yachi-chan will have it!

 **Yachi:** True! It’s my job!

 **Sakai:** I might be a little late! I’m sorry, my train was running late today D:

 **Ennoshita:** That’s okay! Just try not to make it a habit.

 **Sakai:** Thank you, Ennoshita-senpai!

 **Kageyama:** How are you guys not even here yet? I’ve been practicing with Aoki-kun for half an hour.

 **Hinata:** You’re already there?!?!?!

 **Hinata:** You’re practicing WITHOUT ME?!??!?!

 **Aoki:** He was showing me some tricks for practicing setups without a spiker!

 **Sakai:** So cool!!! Nishinoya-senpai, can you teach me cool receives?!

 **Nishinoya:** Of course!!

 **Kinoshita:** I’m bringing cookies for everyone for after practice!

 **Narita:** Ok but I made them so technically I made them

 **Kinoshita:** But you made them at my house

 **Narita:** I’m the cool senpai who bakes, shut up

 **Kinoshita:** You wanna go

 **Narita:** I’ll fight you right here right now

 **Ennoshita:** Okay, please stop using the group chat to bicker. This is for informative purposes only.

 **Kinoshita:** Sorry, captain.

 **Narita:** Sorry

 **Tsukishima:** Suddenly I understand how Tanaka got to be vice-captain.

 **Tanaka:** :D

 **Tsukishima:** Shut up

 **Ennoshita:** Enough!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on [Twitter](https://www.twitter.com/lovingyachi) and scream with me about Haikyuu!! and other shit


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Shimizu Kiyoko having real friendships with guys gals and nonbinary pals alike, being her most comfortable, hilarious, adorable, strong, smart self

_She misses me too._ Kiyoko smiled and set down her phone. She didn’t understand why that made her heart so happy and light, but she didn’t pay much attention to it.

Feeling a little possessed by Suga’s spirit, she picked her phone back up to open Instagram. She’d been avoiding it for a couple days, but she couldn’t resist anymore. She had to check up on everyone.

The first picture she saw was a selfie of the new team on the Karasuno Boys’ Volleyball Club Instagram. They looked like they were going to get along great. She gave it a like, and against her better judgement, she left a comment: “Do your best this season!! xx”

Immediately, Tanaka and Nishinoya were gushing over that, which she decided to ignore. She just wanted to support her friends and old teammates…they didn’t have to be so intense about it.

She scrolled down further and saw Hitoka had posted an outfit of the day selfie from yesterday. She was just wearing jeans and a t-shirt, but she had a flower crown on, and she looked so cute. She was giving a peace sign to the camera, smiling bright. It made Kiyoko happy to see her looking happy.

One more scroll, and Kiyoko saw a cute girl who she couldn’t remember following. Except…wait.

_“Yamaguchi Tadashi. She/her. Femme day.”_

_Whoa_. Kiyoko liked it instantly, then went to comment. “So cute, Tadashi-chan!!”

Yamaguchi replied: “Ahhh! Thank you, senpai!!”

It made Kiyoko even happier to see more of the kids coming into themselves. They were doing okay.

 

“Did you see Yamaguchi’s cute picture today?” Suga asked while they walked together to a café. “She’s so cute! I want to run home just so I can hug her!”

“She’s very cute,” Kiyoko agreed. “Did you see the pretty picture Hitoka posted yesterday?”

“Oh, yeah, she’s still a cute kid, too, haha!”

 _Cute kid._ “She’s…sixteen, isn’t she?”

“Yeah, why?”

She shrugged. “Not really a kid, then, is she?”

“I mean, not technically, but…”

“And she’s going to be seventeen in a few months?” She didn’t know why, but the idea of Yachi as a _kid_ made her feel weird.

Suga raised an eyebrow at her before opening the café door. “Alright, so she’s not a kid. She’s still a cute little kouhai, though.”

“She’s beautiful.”

“Yeah.”

Kiyoko turned red. “Sorry! I don’t know why-”

“It’s alright, I get it,” he said, smiling. “We’re all older. Maybe she’s not a little kid like this time last year, right?”

“R-right!”

 

“Wakatoshi-kun, do you think I’ll be able to stay and watch the whole practice?”

Kiyoko recognized the voice around the corner, and it sent shivers down her spine. It was Ushijima’s old teammate, Tendou Satori. The entire Shiratorizawa match, he freaked her out.

“That’s not up to me, Satori, but we can ask the captain.”

“Hi, Ushijima-san,” she greeted, skirting past them.

“Hello, Shimizu-san. Satori, this is our team manager.”

Kiyoko turned and gave an awkward smile.

“ _Oh~_ , I know her! The old Karasuno manager, right?”

“That-that’s me,” she confirmed. “Hello, Tendou-san. You’re not playing anymore?”

He shook his head. “No, I decided it just wasn’t a long-term thing for me!”

“Shame. You were very good.”

“Ah, you only think so because I was backed by this guy!”

“That’s not true, Satori,” Ushijima argued. “You were very talented.”

“You _flatter_ me, Wakatoshi-kun!”

“I’m sure if you wanted to watch practice, that could be arranged,” Kiyoko interrupted. “Come on. I’ll talk to the captain for you, if you’d like.”

“Thank you, Shimi _zu_!” He dragged out the last syllable of her name weirdly before latching onto Ushijima’s arm. “Let’s go!”

When they stepped inside the gym, Kiyoko saw Bokuto laying facedown on the floor while Daichi and Suga knelt beside him.

_That’s not promising…_

“Koutarou, please,” Suga was sighing. “Come on. You’re going home in _one day._ Until then, you can’t keep sulking!”

“I can never spike again! It will never be the same! It doesn’t feel good anymore!”

“Bokuto, I’m sure that Akaashi wouldn’t want you to keep moping like this,” Daichi told him, patting his back. “We have to get ready for practice to start.”

She opened my three-subject notebook to the section dedicated to Bokuto (thanks to Yukie). _When Bokuto enters dejected mode, it can be difficult to cheer him up. You either need to ignore him until he feels better, or stroke his ego. If all else fails, just try to comfort him in whatever way seems fitting._

_Stroke his ego…_

“Hey! What’s the best wing-spiker doing laying on the floor?” Kiyoko attempted.

He raised up his head. “Huh?”

“Well…” She tried to think. She’d seen him play in official matches before. Surely she could do this. “I mean, you’re talented! You were one of the top three aces in the country! So, get up! Show us all what you’re made of!”

“Behind every great spiker,” he cried, “is a perfect, beautiful setter named Akaashi Keiji!”

She set down her things and marched over to him. “Bokuto-san, please!”

“That’s what he used to call me!”

Kiyoko reached down and grabbed his arms. “Okay. Let’s go. You don’t have to play, but you’re not going to lay in the middle of the court, either.”

She put all her strength into dragging him to the sidelines.

“Holy shit, Kiyoko!” Daichi gasped. “I couldn’t even do that! Flex! How strong are you?!”

She showed them her biceps.

“ _Whoa_!”

“Didn’t you see me block balls from hitting me or Yachi?” she reminded them. “I had to either get strong or die via misdirected spike.”

“It’s pretty cool,” Bokuto’s muffled voice informed her.

She sat down next to him on the floor and patted his back. “Bokuto-san, I know that this has been difficult for you.”

He whined.

“I miss someone too. College is a hard adjustment without her.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. You remember Yachi Hitoka? Well, I miss her a lot. I’m going to see her this weekend, actually.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. But I committed to managing the team, and you committed to being on it. Come on. You know, your straights are actually looking really clean! I’d love to mix it up, pair you with Oikawa-san for a bit? Would that be okay, Bokuto-san?”

He started to sit up and nodded.

“Good, good! Okay, let’s start warming up, then!”

Bokuto quickly recovered to his normal self, and Suga and Daichi just stared at me.

“How?” Suga gasped.

“Yukie has taught me a lot,” she explained. “Plus, I have some experience. I had to encourage Asahi sometimes when he missed shots. Of course, he was always anxious, as opposed to switching between joy and depression in an instant.”

“You’re awesome,” Daichi breathed.

“Yep. Warm up, now.”

“Right!”

 

“Let’s go out to eat together!” Bokuto suggested, putting arms around as many of them that he could (surprise, surprise: it was a lot).

“I dunno,” Kiyoko said. “I was hoping to get some homework done so I didn’t have to think about it this weekend. You should try to do the same, if you’re going to see Akaashi.”

“What are you, my _mom_?” he whined, pouting at her.

“What is this?” Oikawa whispered to her.

“I don’t know,” she muttered back.

“What do we do?”

“I _don’t know_.”

“You’re the one with the notes on him, Pretty-chan!”

“Don’t call me that, Oikawa-san,” she said, flipping through her notes. _Bokuto doesn’t want to do his homework. Here._

_When Bokuto doesn’t want to do his homework, just get Kuroo. Not only is he actually a genius, but he can get Bokuto to do anything._

“Kuroo-san?” she prompted.

“Yeah,” he sighed. “Koutarou, maybe we should do some work. It would suck to get back Sunday night and have to spend it doing a bunch of boring stuff, right?”

Bokuto groaned. “Al _right_ , if we _have to_.”

“So, Kiyoko,” Daichi started as the two walked away, “when did you sign adoption papers for him again?”

“He’s still Yukie’s kid, I’m just stuck babysitting,” Kiyoko joked.

“You know, we got invited to a party,” he told her. “You wanna come?”

“Yeah, so, I still have homework to do.”

“I mean, I know! But afterwards? We could do homework together, if you want!”

The guys all looked at her excitedly, and she sighed. “Okay, fine. Let’s go. We’ll work at a café.”

“We’re coming, too!” Bokuto cheered, running back to them and putting an arm around Kiyoko.

“I had a feeling you might be.”

 

The party they were invited to was at the team captain’s place, and it was just as noisy and crowded as the first one they went to.

Kiyoko found herself hanging on to Bokuto, since he was the closest to her.

“Hey, hey, hey, Kiyoko!” He smiled down at her. “Don’t be nervous! The whole team is here! We won’t let anything happen to you!”

Yukie grabbed her hand and bumped Kiyoko with her hip. “Seriously! We’re going to have _fun_ , Kiyoko! Now, where is the food?”

“One-track mind, Yukippe,” Bokuto teased her, reaching around Kiyoko to ruffle Yukie’s hair.

“Don’t!” She smacked him. “So, how’s it going, dealing with this guy?”

“I feel like I’m a babysitter.”

“ _What_?!” Bokuto gasped.

“He wouldn’t get off the floor for the first fifteen minutes of practice because he was _sad_!”

“That’s so…Bokuto,” she laughed. “Ooh! Pizza!”

Kiyoko shook her head and watched her roommate grab more food than should have been humanly possible to eat. Kiyoko wanted to just stay on her phone and not interact, but she was trying to get better at making friends – she could at least hang out with the ones she already had.

“You want some crisps?” Yukie asked when she got back, mouth full of pizza.

“Uh, sure?”

“Cool.” She tossed Kiyoko a small bag.

“Thanks.”

“Let’s _drink_ , be merry!” she cheered.

“I guess the ‘eat’ part would be redundant for you, right?” Bokuto teased, hypocritically stuffing his own face.

“Shut up! What have we got here?” Yukie wandered over to the table, poking bottles of alcohol and soda. “Ooh…cherry vodka…cherry cola… sounds like a cherry-splosion. Shimi-shimi, gonna join me?”

“What the heck, sure,” Kiyoko said. Nothing bad happened the last time she drank with Yukie.

“Awesome, hand me three cups.”

“Three?” Kiyoko repeated, doing as she asked.

“Bo is drinking with us – aren’t ya, Bo?”

“Yeah, man, sure.”

“Kou’s fun because he’s always down for whatever, you know?” Yukie threw in some ice and poured the drinks. “Nice, alright, sip it, tell me if I’m a genius?”

Kiyoko took a taste. “I mean, it’s like slightly more cherry, less sweet, cherry cola.”

“Not enough vodka, then,” she decided, pouring more in. “Okay, this should be good.”

“Yukie,” Kiyoko laughed. “You trying to get me drunk?”

“I would settle for _tipsy_. You drink so slowly that nothing happens. No fun.”

“Alright, alright.” It didn’t taste bad, so she drank it down. “Happy?”

“Yes! Now, eat something. You don’t want to wake up with a hangover.”

“Why do you know this?”

She shrugged. “My aunt gave me a whole spiel before college started because she knew I was going to make some bad choices, so she wanted me to at least make them well.”

“Fair enough.” It didn’t take long for Kiyoko’s brain to start feeling fuzzy. She almost didn’t think that there would be a real effect, but once it went to her head…yeah, there was an effect.

 

“Yukie, are you getting her drunk?” Daichi gasped, walking over to them. “She’s the level-headed, responsible friend! What will we do if she’s drunk?”

“You’re the _dad friend_ ,” Kiyoko reminded him, surprised at her own slipping tongue. “You will just have to be the responsible one tonight!”

“Ah, I’ve already drank. We’ve all drank.”

“I haven’t,” a monotone voice informed them.

“Wakatoshi-kun _never drinks~_ ,” Tendou sang, draping his arms around Ushijima. “He’s such a good, responsible man.”

“Iwa-chan~! Babe? I know it’s loud! Hey! Can you hear me? Hello?” Oikawa was shouting into his phone as he walked past them, presumably shitfaced himself.

“ _Poor_ Oikawakawa,” Satori sang. “Forever away from his _boyfriend_.”

“ _Aghkachie_ ,” Bokuto sobbed.

“Ah, dammit, Satori,” Kiyoko cursed without thinking. “You’ve unleashed the dejected mode again.”

“What? What’d I do?”

“Bo, are you okay?” She rubbed his back. “You need to step out or anything?”

“ _Yeah_ ,” he whimpered.

“Alright, come on.” She put her arm around him from one side, and Yukie took the other side.

“Yeah, you three shouldn’t go out alone,” Kuroo said, putting an arm around Kiyoko. “I’m the least drunk, therefore, I come too.”

They got outside and sat down under the stars, staring at the sky.

Bokuto flopped onto his back and started groaning again. It really didn’t take much to upset that guy.

“What is it, Bo?” Kiyoko asked, gently nudging him.

“It’s _Ackgashy_ ,” he said.

“You’re seeing him tomorrow,” Yukie reminded him, squeezing his hand.

“I _know_ , Yukippe, but…you can’t tell Kuroo this! He’ll make fun of me for _ever_!”

Kiyoko looked at Kuroo, who decided this was a good time to put in headphones and not listen to what Bokuto was saying. Her heart melted a little at that. _What a nice friend._

“Okay, what is it?” Kiyoko prompted, running her fingers through his fluffy hair. _Wow. Fluff floof. Like a baby owl bird. Whoa._

“I really like Akashy,” he admitted.

“We can tell.”

“ _No_ , I mean…I’m…in _love_ with him! And I didn’t tell him before I graduated, and soon I’m going to lose him forever!”

“Why didn’t you tell him?” Kiyoko asked.

“I didn’t realize until I started to move into my dorm,” he explained, “and by then…it was too late.”

“You should _tell him_!” she said.

He readjusted to lay in her lap. “You really think so?”

“Yeah! Right now! You should call him, Bo! Throw caution to the wind!”

“I _should_!” he gasped, eyes getting starry.

“What?” Kuroo asked, taking off his headphones.

“I’m going to call Akaashiiiiii!”

“Cool.”

He sat up and pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Ackaachy?”

“B-Bokuto-san…it’s one in the morning…” came a very sleepy response.

“IS it!”

“Yes…Bokuto-san, are you drunk?”

“Yyyyyes?”

“Go to sleep, Bokuto-san.” _Click._

“Wait-!” Bokuto frowned. “He hung up.”

“Well, okay. Just tell him tomorrow, then!” Kiyoko suggested.

“Yeah! I can do that!”

“Awesome!”

“Tell him what?” Kuroo asked. He must have really had that music turned up.

“That I _love him_!”

“Oh boy. Okay, everyone! Time to get to the nearest dorm! Let’s go! Who’s closest?”

“That would be us.”

Kiyoko turned to see Ushijima and Tendou starting to head out.

“You’re more than welcome to _stay with us~_ ,” Tendou offered, swaying and bumping into Ushijima. He was right up there with people Kiyoko would never be able to tell if they were actually drunk or not.

“You guys coming too?” Daichi called.

“Yeah!” Bokuto replied.

“Nice!”

“Ushiwaka,” Oikawa said, “if anyone finds out that I stayed with you…I’ll die of humiliation!”

“Get over it, Onikawa,” Tendou groaned. “Wakatoshi-kun has never done anything wrong in his life!”

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Ushijima argued.

“You’re _perfect_!”

“Satori…”

“An _angel_!”

“How _drunk_ are you?” Bokuto gasped.

“He is always like this,” Ushijima said gravely.

 

In the morning, Kiyoko woke up cuddled between Yukie and Bokuto, using Daichi’s chest as a pillow. Honestly, it wasn’t a terrible arrangement. Well, not until she saw Oikawa snapping pictures above them.

“Good morning, Pretty-chan.”

“You can call me Shimizu-san.”

“Okay. Good morning, Shimizu-san.”

Kiyoko felt groggy, nauseous, and dizzy, all of which got worse when she sat up. “Ugh…”

“Hangover.” She looked to the couch where Suga was sipping coffee. “Ushiwaka made us all coffee!”

“He’s such a nice guy,” Kuroo added, walking into the living room.

Oikawa gagged before sitting next to Suga, putting his legs across his lap. “Disgusting.”

Kiyoko laid back again. “ _Ugh…_ ”

“Daichi’s totally going to freak when he wakes up,” Suga chuckled. “Mind if I?”

“Take the picture, Koushi. No one will believe him otherwise,” Kiyoko sighed before giving an exhausted peace sign. “I can’t believe I have to meet Hitoka-chan today…while I’m hungover…”

“You won’t be hungover by this afternoon, probably,” Oikawa said comfortingly (?).

“Great. Thanks. Hey, when did you two become friends who cuddle?” she asked, gesturing to the way he and Suga were all comfy-cozy on the couch.

Suga shrugged. “I have a motherly warmth that reminds him of Iwaizumi-san, except I’m nicer to him.”

“Okay, then.”

“Oh, Shimi _zu_! You’re awake!” chirped Tendou, who did not seem hungover, upsettingly enough. _Freak._ “I’ll bring you some coffee!”

“Thanks, Satori,” she grunted.

Yukie shifted beside her, starting to wake up. Yet another not-hungover person. “Hey, Shimishimi, g’morning.”

“Good morning, Yukie,” Kiyoko said, patting her head.

“You’re hungover. I told you to eat more food to prevent this,” she chastised.

“Maybe you’re just a freak of nature, like Satori?”

“That’s possible,” she agreed, seeing the red-headed demon guy bringing in two cups of coffee. “Ooh!”

“I thought I heard someone else,” he said, setting them on the coffee table. “Team parties can get a little wild in college, huh?”

“Apparently,” Kiyoko sighed, still not wanting to sit up.

“Hey, Bo,” Yukie said, reaching over Kiyoko to shake Bokuto. “Hey! Wake up, Koutarou!”

He sat up, blinking the sleep from his eyes. “Where are we?”

“Ushijima’s and Tendou’s,” Kiyoko explained, closing her eyes again.

“Cool. I had a weird dream that I called Akaashi last night.”

“You did,” Kuroo confirmed.

“ _No_ ,” he cried, hiding his face in his hands. “No, no, no, tell me I didn’t!”

“He hung up on you because it was the middle of the fucking night,” Kuroo said, trying to be comforting.

“Well, that’s good. I didn’t say anything embarrassing?”

“No, man, you’re good.”

“Great.”

“Eh?” Daichi was starting to stir beneath Kiyoko’s head. “K-Kiyoko-chan?!”

“Get over it,” shghe groaned, rolling over to look at him. “Drunk people apparently sleep in puddles. These things just happen. You and Suga spooned on our couch. _This_ is not weird.”

“Y-you’re using me as a pillow! I’m honored, Shimizu-chan!”

She rolled her eyes until she could see her hungover brain cells begging for caffeine, so she sat up. “Okay, Daichi.”

 

Kiyoko got to the café fifteen minutes early – she was so excited to see Hitoka-chan again! Luckily, her hangover had been cured by the strong coffee from Ushijima, so she was fresh and awake for hanging out. As she waited outside, she saw a guy coming towards the door, so she stepped aside to let him in.

Then, she processed him.

“Oh, my god, Asahi-kun?” she gasped.

A clean-shaven, hair-down, angelic-looking Azumane Asahi turned around. “K-Kiyoko-chan?”

“Hey! I wasn’t expecting to see you today!” Kiyoko went to hug him before remembering that he, like most of the guys on the team, might not handle that well. He didn’t. “Sorry! Oh, I’ve run into some familiar faces at college and I keep forgetting who I can and can’t hug.”

“It-it’s okay!” he said, opening his arms. “Just caught me off guard.”

She hugged him properly (if not a bit awkwardly). “Hey! So, what have you been up to?”

“Working the family business, helping Coach Ukai out at the store, you know, basics,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck like he did when he got embarrassed.

“That’s great. No college, then?”

“Not for me.”

“I get that, for sure.”

“What about you?”

“Well, I’m obviously at school! I actually go to school with Daichi and Suga – I got roped into managing their team again!”

“That sounds like fun. I miss them. I’m hoping sometime soon I can head out there and see them – maybe I’ll see you too?”

“Yeah, that’d be nice,” she agreed. Asahi had always been one of her favorites.

“So, what are you doing back in town? Just visiting?”

“Meeting someone for coffee.”

“Oh! I actually am, too!”

“Nice – anyone special?”

“Uh…” He turned red. “It’s just Nishinoya.”

“I’m meeting Hitoka-chan,” she said. “I can’t _wait_ to deal with Yuu, though…”

“I’ll keep him off of you,” he promised. “He’s probably over that anyway-”

“SHIMIZU-SENPAI!!” A short boy came running towards her, so she side stepped him while he ran into Asahi.

“Hello, Nishinoya-kun.”

He grinned at her. “You’re home!!”

“Yep.”

“Hi!”

“Hello.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Waiting for Yachi.”

He gasped. “I knew she still talked to you!”

“Yeah… You didn’t happen to see her anywhere, did you-?”

“Kiyoko-san?”

Kiyoko turned around so fast she could’ve given herself whiplash. “Hitoka-chan!”

Yachi smiled and waved, hurrying across the street to Kiyoko. “Hi!” Yachi hugged her, then glared at Nishinoya. “You didn’t follow her here, did you?”

“Purely fate!” he assured her. “I was just here to meet Asahi-san!”

“Oh,” Kiyoko remembered, “there’s a new libero isn’t there? How’s that going for you?” She’d been wondering how the kids were handling their new teammates for a while, but she didn’t really talk to anyone besides Yachi, and occasionally Hinata.

Yuu looked ready to faint at being addressed so directly and colloquially. “Uh – it – I – super cool! Kouhai! Shorter than me!”

“What’d he say?” Kiyoko asked Yachi.

“He thinks his kouhai is super cool, and also, Sakai is shorter than him.”

“Wow,” Kiyoko marveled, opening the door. “Is he still taller than you, Yachi?”

“Yes,” Yachi replied sadly.

“Do you guys have an ace this year – oh, is it Tanaka or Hinata?” Kiyoko was just rambling at this point. I hadn’t even realized how much I missed everyone until so many of them were here.

Nishinoya just stood there, stammering like an idiot, so Yachi answered. “It’s probably Tanaka.”

“That makes sense,” Kiyoko said. “Reminds me of something Koutarou said.”

“Who?” Yachi asked.

“Ah – Bokuto-san,” Kiyoko explained.

“You’re on a given-name basis?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“In just a week?”

“Well.” Kiyoko laughed, not wanting to admit to the college shenanigans that had gone down already. “I’m kind of his babysitter for Yukie. I got close to him by accident, I think.”

“That’s so cool,” Noya gasped. When Yachi started talking, Kiyoko’d forgotten he was even there.

“Uh – I – yeah? Mostly the friendship consists of dragging him out of his dejected mode. I need to get Akaashi Keiji’s number for the sole purpose of begging him to apply to our school, because he’s the only one who can really get through to him.”

“You seem more talkative – happier!” Nishinoya observed. “I mean, it’s like when Yachi first joined the club, all over again!”

“Huh?”

“Oh, sure,” he continued, “when she joined, you were always laughing and smiling. You’re like that again. You seemed sad at the end of the year.”

“Noya-kun, don’t you think it’s creepy that you pay that much attention to her?” Asahi whispered sharply.

“ _Ah_ – yeah, right, sorry.”

Kiyoko frowned. What an unusual thing, apologizing for overstepping the creepy line. “Uh, yeah, I’ve – I think I’m still used to it.”

“You do seem happy though,” Asahi added, “and as a friend, I’m glad.”

“College is weird, but I’ve enjoyed the friend group I’ve stumbled into so far.”

“Just let us know if you get a boyfriend,” Noya cried. “We’ll have to all take our time to mourn.”

Yachi ordered a drink, then nudged Kiyoko to do the same.

“For here or to go?” the barista asked.

“To go,” Yachi replied hastily.

Kiyoko smiled a silent thanks to her.

“Well, it wasn’t awful running into you,” she told the guys, laughing so they knew she was somewhat teasing. “Asahi, let me know if you come to see Daichi and Suga, okay?”

“I – yeah, okay!”

They all took their drinks. “Well, see you.”

Asahi and Kiyoko did the weird _I-don’t-know-if-I’m-supposed-to-hug-you_ dance until Kiyoko settled for patting his arm and walking out with Yachi.

“Sorry,” Yachi laughed, “I would have gotten here earlier if I’d known.”

“I was glad to get to talk to Asahi-kun again,” Kiyoko said, “so at least there’s that.”

“He looks different now,” she noted, turning to look at him through the café window. “I mean…he’s…”

“He looks like he is, instead of like he’s trying to look wild?” Kiyoko offered.

“ _Soft_ ,” Yachi decided.

Kiyoko laughed and nudged Yachi with her elbow. “Cute?”

“Maybe,” Yachi agreed, “but not like that.”

“Fair.” That was a pretty accurate way to look at him, in Kiyoko’s opinion. Then again, Asahi had sort of always been like that.

“Hey,” she said suddenly, pulling out her phone. “Um, question?”

“Yeah?”

“Suga and Daichi both posted pictures of you and Daichi laying together on the floor. Are you two, like, dating?”

“Oh.” Kiyoko looked at her phone to see the unflattering photos had indeed been posted. “No, goodness, no. We all were out late last night at a party and crashed on the floor at Ushijima’s.”

“Oh.” Yachi smiled over at her. “I didn’t want to assume, just-”

“I get it,” Kiyoko interrupted. “How’s the team coming together?”

“So far, so good. It’s another year of talented first-years, but not as much as last year.”

“That’s good. Hey, I saw Yamaguchi posted some pictures every day about what pronouns he was using for that day. I’m glad he seems to be more comfortable with himself!”

Yachi nodded, and Kiyoko thought she saw a small blush spreading across her cheeks. “Oh, uh, yeah, he’s – that’s happened. Tsukishima has gotten even more protective of him since he came out as genderfluid.”

“I bet,” Kiyoko laughed. “Cute on his feminine days, huh?”

Yachi was definitely blushing now. “Uh – yeah – he’s…”

“Cute on his masculine days too,” Kiyoko offered.

“No! I mean, yes! I guess?” She played with a piece of her hair nervously. “I’m not really the one who thinks so, though, so I can’t talk about it. What about Bokuto?”

“Eh?”

“I don’t know! You talk about him the most!”

“He sort of stresses me out the most,” Kiyoko admitted. “Hey, Hitoka-chan. Are you okay?”

“Can we sit?” she asked, gesturing to a bench.

“Yeah, of course!”

They sat, and she leaned forward so that her feet touched the concrete. Her legs shook like she was anxious about something, and Kiyoko wondered if she did something wrong.

“I think…” Yachi shook her head. “Um!”

Kiyoko touched her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“I’ve missed you! It’s only been a week!” she stammered.

Kiyoko smiled. “I’ve missed you too. Are you okay?” She asked again.

Yachi shook her head. “Sorry, I get nervous for no reason sometimes.”

“Well, you don’t have to apologize for that,” Kiyoko reassured her, putting an arm around her. “Have you been doing okay managing them alone?”

Yachi nodded. “Yeah! Yeah. No, they’re surprisingly good for me. And I’ve really enjoyed it so far.”

“Good!”

The air had shifted though, and it felt tense, strained. Kiyoko suddenly didn’t know how to talk to her, or what to tell her. Nothing felt good enough to tell her about.

“Kiyoko-san?”

“Yeah, Hitoka-chan?”

“Are you gonna start dating one of the guys?”

She shook her head. “Nope.”

“Okay.”

“They’re all…kind of high-maintenance. Except Daichi, who’s platonically spoken for.”

“Right, Suga-san.” After a beat, she asked, “Are you going to start dating Yukie-san?”

Kiyoko almost choked on her coffee. “What?”

“Forget it! I shouldn’t have said that!”

“What’s the sudden interest in my love life?” Kiyoko laughed. “I’m more focused on school and the team than romance, just like high school.”

“Right.”

“I mean, people have asked-”

“ _Obviously_.”

“-but I’m not interested. I mean, I’d really have to like someone to accept a confession. And they’d really have to like me.”

“Yeah, for sure.”

“It’d be easier if I could just do all the confessing myself, when the time is right.” Kiyoko was rambling again, and getting more embarrassed with every word.

“You’ve never liked anyone, then?”

Kiyoko shrugged. “I don’t think so, no.”

“But you think you could?”

She nodded. “Why?”

“I dunno. A lot of people like you, is all.”

“I don’t really care,” Kiyoko said, then shook her head. “That sounded bad, right? No, I don’t mean it like that.”

“No!” Yachi waved her hands. “No, no! I get what you mean! I wouldn’t care either unless it was the real thing!”

“Do you have that?” Kiyoko prompted. “The real thing?”

“For who?”

“Anyone.”

She turned red again. “Y-yeah. I think so! But it doesn’t matter if it’s unrequited, so I don’t really think about it a lot.”

“Well, he’s really missing out, then,” Kiyoko told her, leaning back on the bench.

“I guess. How do you like your classes?”

“I’m enjoying them, so far. My professors are all pretty cool, so that’s nice!”

“Oh, that’s good!”

“What class are you in this year?”

“Five, again.”

“Jeez,” Kiyoko breathed. “You’re so smart.”

Yachi shrugged. “I – I just like learning and doing well. Tsukishima and Tadashi are in my class this year!”

“Good for them,” Kiyoko complimented. “What about the other two?”

“I think they’re both in Class Two,” Yachi said.

“I feel bad for their teacher if they’re together.”

Yachi nodded. “Yeah, I don’t envy her.”

“They still fight constantly?”

“Yep!”

“I’m not surprised.”

They went on talking like that, and the air slowly relaxed again. It was hard to not feel comfortable with Yachi, once they got started, honestly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you remember, Yachi thought this might be a date, so...it sadly wasn't. I'm sorry Hitoka you know I stan you the most just D: this is a long boi
> 
> Follow me on [Twitter](https://www.twitter.com/lovingyachi) and scream with me about Haikyuu!! and other shit


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I was editing this, I said, aloud, "Oh, shit, it's the go fish chapter," and you'll know what I mean at the last possible moment

**It’s a Small World After All**

_6:15 p.m._

**Gorgeous:** Hey Bo did you ever hook up w/Akaashi

 **Great Horny Owl:** W HATT???!?

 **Gorgeous:** You know, did you go to see him today?

 **Great Horny Owl:** yes

 **Great Horny Owl:** Kiyoko that is not the meaning of the phrase ‘hook up with’

 **Gorgeous:** Oh, sorry

 **Gorgeous:** How did it go?

 **Gorgeous:** Bo?

 

_6:18 p.m._

**Bokuto:** Let’s talk here.

 **Kiyoko:** Okay…what happened?

 **Bokuto:** Nothing

 **Kiyoko:** I’m sorry. So, you didn’t tell him how you felt?

 **Bokuto:** No :(

 **Kiyoko:** Ah, Bo

 **Kiyoko:** You really should just try to tell him, you know!

 **Bokuto:** I can’t!!!

 **Bokuto:** I love him and I don’t want to just find out he doesn’t love me back

 **Bokuto:** Id have to go forever w/o ever spiking his tosses again D:

 **Kiyoko:** Did you at least do that today?

 **Bokuto:** yeah

 **Bokuto:** hey did u get to see ur gf tho?

 **Kiyoko:** my what

 **Bokuto:** u know, cute tiny girl

 **Kiyoko:** Oh you mean Yachi?

 **Kiyoko:** I’m with her now

 **Bokuto:** Oh hi Yacchan

 **Kiyoko:** Hi, Bokuto-senpai! -Yachi

 **Kiyoko:** Sorry, I wasn’t expecting to talk to you this directly about Keiji-kun.

 **Bokuto:** It’s ok :(

 **Kiyoko:** I’m seeing him in three weeks for a training camp! -Yachi

 **Kiyoko:** So if you wanted, I could try and talk to him about you! -Yachi

 **Bokuto:** You’d do that for me??

 **Kiyoko:** Sure!! -Yachi

 **Kiyoko:** Hey, why don’t we make this easier?

 **Bokuto:** ok

 

**Get Bokuto with Akaashi**

_6:28 p.m._

**Kiyoko:** Okay, this should be easier now

 **Hitoka:** :D Hi, Bokuto-senpai!

 **Koutarou:** hey, yacchan!!!!!!

 **Koutarou:** borriiiinnnnggggggggg

_[Koutarou has changed name to Beef.]_

_[Beef has changed Kiyoko to Real One.]_

_[Beef has changed Hitoka to Tiny.]_

**Beef:** Better

 **Real One:** Okay, whatever makes you feel better about this.

 **Beef:** so yacchan u said ur seeing him in 3 weeks?

 **Tiny:** Yeah! Fukurodani will be at the training camp.

 **Beef:** Well, hopefully

 **Tiny:** ?

 **Beef:** they only have 5 members right now, not counting the manager :/

 **Tiny:** oh no!!!

 **Beef:** most of us last year were third-years

 **Tiny:** I’m sure that they can get more people!!!

 **Tiny:** Let’s work on the assumption that he will be there.

 **Beef:** ok I can do that

 **Beef:** what will u do

 **Tiny:** hmmm…

 **Real One:** Well bo, what if we go together to Tokyo, so the day after the camp, we can hang out w them

 **Beef:** oh!! I like that

 **Tiny:** Yeah we can do that

 **Tiny:** I’ll try to, uh, befriend him, I guess?

 **Tiny:** And I’ll find out if he misses you!!

 **Beef:** What about the other stuff?

 **Tiny:** I find that usually talking about how you miss someone and how you like them usually go hand in hand

 **Real One:** True

 **Beef:** That’s fair

 **Beef:** I hope that works

 **Tiny:** Until then, just chat with us here about how you’re feeling!

 **Tiny:** We’re here for you, Bokuto-senpai!

 

**It’s a Small World After All**

_6:44 p.m._

**Daddy Cat:** weird, bo never disappears

 **Great Horny Owl:** we were talking in pm dude

 **Daddy Cat:** bc u don’t want everyone to know ur totally hot for Akaashi right

 **Great Horny Owl:** U GHH

 **Great Horny Owl:** maybe because she’s my FRIEND and not all our COVERSATONS are PUBLIC

 **Daddy Cat:** Coversatons?

 **Great Horny Owl:** Shut up u know what I mean tetsu

 **Thighs:** How was seeing Yacchan, Kiyoko?

 **Gorgeous:** It was nice! I’m actually still with her!

 **Thighs:** Oh, cool!

 **Gorgeous:** I ran into Asahi while we were out btw

 **Thighs:** Oh that’s cool

 **Mom Friend:** How is he????!?!?

 **Gorgeous:** Calm down Suga-kun.

 **Gorgeous:** He’s good. He was going to meet Noya-kun

 **Mom Friend:** Awww yay!

 **Gorgeous:** Yeah!

 **Thighs:** How was Akaashi, Bokuto?

 **Great Horny Owl:** Good! We’re going out again later tonight but he had a team thing

 **Yukippe:** looking for new recruits?

 **Great Horny Owl:** yea

 **Yukippe:** dumbass baby owl

 **Yukippe:** should’ve taken u with him

 **Yukippe:** that’s good fuckin advertising there

 **Yukippe:** w u in town?

 **Yukippe:** free real estate

 **Great Horny Owl:** no I think it’s better if I don’t

 **Great Horny Owl:** I mean he’s the real impressive one, they should join for him

 **Gorgeous:** Well, have fun with him later

 **Great Horny Owl:** I will

 

_8:52 p.m._

**Kiyoko:** Hey, just got back safely, thought I’d let you know.

 **Hitoka:** Ah, thank you! Good to know! :)

 **Hitoka:** I really enjoyed seeing you today…

 **Hitoka:** Will you come home next weekend??

 **Kiyoko:** I’ll come home every weekend that you want me to. :)

 

_8:59 p.m._

**Hitoka:** agghghhhhhh

 **Shouyou:** how was ur day yacchan ;)

 **Hitoka:** “I’ll come home every weekend that you want me to. :)”

 **Hitoka:** WHAT DOES IT MEANNNNNN?!?!?

 **Shouyou:** it means u got a girlfriend

 **Hitoka:** It can’t mean that bc she was talking about how she’s never liked anyone before :(

 **Shouyou:** well it might mean that ur on ur way to having a girlfriend??

 **Hitoka:** I’m such a helpless gay :(

 **Shouyou:** at least u had a good day tho right?

 **Hitoka:** Yeahhh

 **Hitoka:** what if she just wants to be best friends tho

 **Shouyou:** idk that would suck p bad

 **Hitoka:** ugh I can’t think about it anymore how goes it with your Yamaguchi feelings

 **Shouyou:** I’ve determined

 **Shouyou:** that he’s hot

 **Shouyou:** and that his float serve??

 **Shouyou:** has made me gayer

 **Hitoka:** So, you like him?

 **Shouyou:** Aesthetic attraction and physical attraction aren’t the same as romantic attraction, Hitoka (according to le google)

 **Hitoka:** So, you don’t like him?

 **Shouyou:** well being around him lately makes me all fluttery and happy

 **Hitoka:** so you do like him?

 **Shouyou:** E X CEP T I haven’t finished thinking about my felings for every guy I know and if I’ve been cryshing secretly w/o realizing

 **Hitoka:** so you don’t like him?

 **Shouyou:** ??????idk

 **Hitoka:** oh my god

 **Shouyou:** I knowwwwwwwwwwkwe

 **Hitoka:** Okay so who do you have left to think about romantically?

 **Shouyou:** just four more, but I’ms cared to start on that

 **Hitoka:** how come

 **Shouyou:** bc it’s kags, tsukki, noya, and bokuto

 **Hitoka:** Oh

 **Hitoka:** Why are u procrastinating on them specifically?

 **Shouyou:** well for tsukki, ewewewewewew

 **Shouyou:** but like he’s cute too so what if ive liked him??

 **Shouyou:** gross I don’t even want to think about it

 **Hitoka:** ok well I think we can rule him out

 **Shouyou:** and noya is just super cool!!1111!! what if I just admire him? But what if part of my admiration has been wanting to kisss him?

 **Hitoka:** Hm.

 **Shouyou:** bc I mean he’s also definitely cute.

 **Shouyou:** and it’s definitely hot when he saves a ball in a game right

 **Hitoka:** Uh, sure?

 **Shouyou:** right ik ur gay

 **Shouyou:** The same kinda goes for bokuto-san

 **Shouyou:** he’s super cool and id be so embarrassed if I crushed on him as well as admired him

 **Hitoka:** well would it change anything if you knew he liked guys?

 **Shouyou:** …no

 **Hitoka:** do you feel jealous knowing he likes someone else

 **Shouyou:** not really

 **Hitoka:** Problem solved, we can rule him out

 **Hitoka:** That just leaves Kageyama and Noya

 **Shouyou:** hhhhhnnnnnnngngng

 **Hitoka:** So, why won’t you tell me why you don’t want to think about Kageyama that way?

 **Shouyou:** becaususeese

 **Shouyou:** u know

 **Shouyou:** hes kageyama

 **Hitoka:** Maybe you feel like that because you do like him.

 **Shouyou:** hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 **Shouyou:** I don’t want to@!!!@!

 **Shouyou:** I can’t D:

 **Hitoka:** So, you’re just not even going there?

 **Shouyou:** nu-uh

 **Hitoka:** Okay, but as your best friend, that sounds like a bad idea.

 **Shouyou:** but think about it

 **Shouyou:** if I like him then I have crushes on half my best friends and that’s lame

 **Hitoka:** So you DO like Yamaguchi

 **Shouyou:** Y ES

 **Shouyou:** But I can’t tell him until I get the rest figured out!!!

 **Shouyou:** and even then??

 **Shouyou:** no evidence he likes boys

 **Shouyou:** being genderqueer and being romantic queer are different boats

 **Hitoka:** I’m sorry :/

 **Shouyou:** this suckssss

 **Hitoka:** Yeah :(

 **Shouyou:** I’d rather die than deal with thissss

 **Hitoka:** What if you just test it out?

 **Shouyou:** huh?

 **Hitoka:** Hang out with Yamaguchi alone – you guys haven’t ever done that have you?

 **Shouyou:** no, we haven’t

 **Hitoka:** And then hang out with Noya alone, and with Kageyama alone. And just think about how it made you feel, and if it was different, and if any of them feel like when you’ve liked girls.

 **Shouyou:** I can’t do that

 **Hitoka:** Why not

 **Shouyou:** because liking girls is like WAHHH and liking boys is like OOOH and liking nonbinary people is like HHHHNNN

 **Hitoka:** Oh, sorry, then idk

 **Hitoka:** It could still help you sort your feelings out though.

 **Shouyou:** yeaa ur right

 **Shouyou:** ur so smart Hitoka

 **Hitoka:** thanks

 **Shouyou:** that’s what im gonna do

 

**Get Bokuto with Akaashi**

_10:37 p.m._

**Beef:** im sleeping over with him im sleeping in his room what do I do

 **Real One:** First of all I’m going to need you to calm down

 **Beef:** hhhhhhh;;;;;;

 **Real One:** breathe

 **Beef:** breathing

 **Real One:** good

 **Beef:** he smells so good

 **Real One:** Dude wtf calm down

 **Beef:** I’m so CALM RIGHT NOW

 **Tiny:** Listen, I don’t have much advice, but I’m going to tell you right now:

 **Tiny:** Stop smelling him, it will only ruin your life

 **Beef:** Thanks Yacchan :(

 **Tiny:** Secondly, DON’T TAKE HIM UP ON THE OFFER TO SLEEP IN HIS ROOM AND ESPECIALLY NOT HIS BED

 **Beef:** It’s too late for that

 **Tiny:** Oh. Sorry for shouting then.

 **Beef:** _[literally_next_to_me.jpg]_

 **Tiny:** He’s still awake?

 **Beef:** yeaahhh

 **Real One:** then why are you texting US what if he accidentally saw

 **Beef:** he wont hes playing a game kenma recommended

 **Tiny:** I really want to help you, but you’ve made every mistake

 **Tiny:** stop smelling his hair

 **Beef:** I wasn’t!

 **Real One:** liar

 **Beef:** He just showered

 **Tiny:** you sat in his room and waited for him to come back all drippy didn’t you

 **Beef:** yes

 **Tiny:** rookie mistake

 **Real One:** Jeez Hitoka, who do you like that you’ve had this much relatable experience?

 **Tiny:** we’ll just say a close friend and I don’t want to talk about it still

 **Beef:** im going to shower now. um. brb

 **Tiny:** don’t use his shampoo

 **Beef:** what kind of creepy shit have u done tiny girl

 **Real One:** I want to yell at you for swearing around her but tbh? Yeah?

 **Tiny:** Oh yea no that one wasn’t actually me

 **Tiny:** That was some other creep I know

 **Tiny:** Whose name rhymes with Schmoya

 **Real One:** DID YUU USE MY SHAMPOO? WHEN. ILL KILL HIM.

 **Tiny:** I’ve said too much…but it wasn’t you

 **Real One:** Who else does he like??

 **Tiny:** I don’t know, that’s as much of the story I heard before Tanaka interrupted him.

 **Real One:** I’m just glad it wasn’t me. I don’t even use shampoo

 **Tiny:** Oh really?

 **Real One:** Yea it dries out my hair I much prefer to just use a conditioning cleanser you know?

 **Tiny:** so that’s how it’s so shiny and soft

 **Real One:** Yeah!

 **Tiny:** Cool

 **Beef:** Kiyoko, not to be mean, but ur kouhais are all perverts

 **Beef:** and I had to use his stuff I didn’t come prepared

 **Beef:** so!

 **Tiny:** acceptable

 **Tiny:** don’t sit back down on his bed

 **Beef:** I literally only just got out of the shower calm down

 **Tiny:** why would you bring your phone into the bathroom? The steam is bad for it

 **Beef:** Okay so when did u become the person who makes my decisions

 **Tiny:** Since you became the person who makes rookie mistakes

 **Real One:** shes got you there bo

 **Beef:** its true ive been got

 **Beef:** CONSIDER I didn’t want him to see ur texts tho

 **Tiny:** ooh good point im sorry senpai

 **Beef:** I “accidentally” forgot to bring a shirt. Perfect

 **Tiny:** This won’t go as well as you hope.

 **Beef:** dammit he just said hi and went back to that stupid game

 **Beef:** what is he even playing

 **Beef:** it’s the sims freeplay

 **Beef:** uve gotta be fucking me right now Keiji

 **Real One:** l angu age

 **Beef:** fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck

 **Real One:** stOP

 **Tiny:** Kiyoko I’m friends with Tsukki and Kageyama. I have heard the word “fuck” before.

 **Real One:** I just lost ten years off my life

 **Tiny:** I’m almost 17 I’m not a kid!!

 **Real One:** I know

 **Tiny:** I just look like one!

 **Beef:** he just looked at me finally and started choking on his water

 **Beef:** 10/10

 **Tiny:** congrats your master plan to kill him worked.

 **Beef:** he just aggressively threw a shirt at me

 **Beef:** but it’s a muscle shirt

 **Beef:** _[gun_show.jpg]_

 **Real One:** _[these_guns_carried_you.jpg]_

 **Tiny:** w hoa

 **Beef:** ohohoh

 **Real One:** I know

 **Beef:** he just asked who I’m sending muscle pics to

 **Beef:** how do I explain “just platonically two crow girls”

 **Real One:** I mean exactly like that?

 **Beef:** he says hi

 **Tiny:** Hello, Akaashi-san!

 **Real One:** Hey, Keiji-kun, how’s it going?

 **Beef:** he asked why I sent the pics

 **Tiny:** Show him Kiyo’s and explain it was a competition

 **Beef:** not a competition if u don’t flex for us

 **Tiny:** _[pathetic.jpg]_

 **Real One:** You’re so cute, Hitoka-chan!

 **Tiny:** Ack!

 **Beef:** Kiyoko he says u win

 **Real One:** nice

 **Beef:** _[what_a_babe.jpg]_

 **Tiny:** Nice, Akaashi

 **Real One:** You’re a lucky man, Koutarou

 **Real One:** Or unlucky I guess, since you like him but he doesn’t know

 **Beef:** grr

 **Beef:** I love him why cant I just tell him

 **Tiny:** It’s scary when you don’t know how they feel :/ another friend of mine is having a hard time w that too rn

 **Beef:** well tell him im always down to mope

 **Real One:** No! No moping allowed!

 **Real One:** I’m not dragging you across the floor again!

 **Real One:** I think I pulled something last time!

 **Beef:** Sorry kiyoko

 **Tiny:** Well stop texting us and spend time with him!!!

 **Beef:** Yes ma’am

 **Tiny:** And then tell us everything!!

 **Beef:** Naturally!!

 

_11:15 p.m._

**Bokuto:** Hey, Yachi, the person u like…wouldn’t happen to be Kiyoko, would it?

 **Yachi:** It’s…that obvious???

 **Bokuto:** No! I just have a knack for seeing when someone’s pining for their friend

 **Yachi:** Well, yea

 **Yachi:** just a hopeless kouhai in love

 **Bokuto:** Ima be real w u bc I like u Hitoka

 **Bokuto:** u might be the only one of us who stands a chance w her

 **Yachi:** Huh?!

 **Bokuto:** Well everyone’s in love w her

 **Yachi:** I know

 **Bokuto:** but ur probably the only one who could get her whole heart someday

 **Bokuto:** so just…don’t smell her hair in the mean time

 **Bokuto:** weirdo :P

 **Yachi:** ha, ha, very funny, Bokuto-san.

 **Yachi:** Thanks for your vote of confidence I guess?

 

_11:21 p.m._

**Hitoka:** Ok so it’s been a weird day

 **Hitoka:** Bokuto-san just told me that he thinks I’ve got the best chance of anyone with Kiyoko

 **Shouyou:** ur texting Bokuto-senpai!?!?

 **Hitoka:** yea

 **Shouyou:** SO COOL

 **Hitoka:** Anyways how’s your night

 **Shouyou:** Pretty good?! I’m hanging out w Noya-san tomorrow so we’ll see how that goes1!

 **Hitoka:** Hey that’s great!

 **Shouyou:** Yeah!! Wont know right away but at least we’ll have a start!!

 **Hitoka:** keep me updated!!

 

**It’s a Small World After All**

_12:28 a.m._

**Daddy Cat:** hey yukie u got any 6s

 **Yukippe:** go fish

 **Yukippe:** bo u got any 9s

 **Great Horny Owl:** yea I got 2

 **Yukippe:** whoop got a set of four 2s now y’all

 **Yukippe:** Ushiwaka u got any 7s

 **Ushijima:** What?

 **Yukippe:** You Got Any 7 Cards Mate ?

 **Ushijima:** go…fish?

 **Yukippe:** damn

 **Ushijima:** Oikawa-san do you have any fives?

 **Oikawa:** what the fuck u guys none of us have any cards are u all high or something?

 **Yukippe:** ur ruining the suspension of disbelief you self-absorbed piece of shit

 **Oikawa:** go to sleep u freaks

 **Oikawa:** and go fish, Ushijima.

 **Ushijima:** Darn.

 **Thighs:** everyone here is sleep deprived and it genuinely scares me to go into this chat anymore

 **Mom Friend:** put down ur phone and go to sleep

 **Thighs:** You’re still awake?

 **Mom Friend:** Yeah I started to fall asleep but I had a weird dream and now I cant

 **Thighs:** Do you need to talk about it? I can go out into the living room and sit with you if you’d like.

 **Mom Friend:** I’d like that yea :) thanks dai-kun

 **Gorgeous:** go to sleep you FREAKS.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 50% chat fic? I thought you said
> 
> 50% _crack fic_
> 
> Follow me on [Twitter](https://www.twitter.com/lovingyachi) and scream with me about Haikyuu!! and other shit


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content/Trigger Warning for a panic attack depicted in this chapter. It's from "She knew he probably thought it was funny in hindsight" to "Once they were outside", so you can skip it if you need<3

Hinata flopped on Hitoka’s bed face first and groaned for three minutes straight.

“You okay?” she asked, tilting her head.

“ _No_ ,” he replied, voice muffled.

“It went that badly with Noya-senpai?”

“Well, I’m fully caught up on everything going on in Asahi’s life.”

“He was there?”

“Nope. Noya-san just kept _talking about him_.”

“Oh,” she sighed, sitting next to him.

He looked up at her. “That’s one down. Maybe I should go for a two in one, and try hanging out with Kageyama, doing something that isn’t volleyball!”

“Uh, no,” she laughed. “Maybe take a week off, there, kid. This clearly wasn’t fun.”

He just whined more. “I don’t know what to _do_.”

 

_“Yamaguchi Tadashi. He/him. Masculine day.”_

Double-tapped then into the locker room before morning practice. Hitoka liked that Yamaguchi was updating everyone on pronouns for each day – he seemed to be happy that everyone was on it during the morning practice when we were all in the same clothing.

“Your pictures this morning was so cute!” Hinata was crying when she got back out. He was sitting with Tadashi on the ground, holding his phone.

“Oh, thanks!” Yamaguchi replied, turning a little pink.

“You always look so good, Yama-kun!”

“Th-thank you, Shou-kun!”

Kageyama and Tsukki walked over to them from separate directions, both glaring. Hitoka could never tell if it was a normal glare or a special glare.

“I’m tossing to you,” Kageyama told Hinata, pulling him to his feet and dragging him away.

“Haha, why do you look so grumpy!” Tadashi poked Tsukki’s cheeks and pushed it into almost a smile.

“S-stop that!” Tsukishima smacked away his hands.

“Then, don’t be sad!” Tsukki turned away while Yamaguchi jumped on him in a hug.

“I’m not fucking sad!”

“You look like you’re sad! You can’t lie to me! I’ve known you for almost ten years!”

“Hey, lover boys,” Tanaka barked, “get in the gym!”

They walked past him, but Tsukishima snarled at him.

“That wasn’t very nice, Tanaka-san,” Hitoka noted, walking over. “No one talks about the way you look at Ennoshita, do they?”

“W-what?!”

She power walked the rest of the way to the gym.

 

At lunch, Hinata sat next to Hitoka, but watched Yamaguchi talking to Tsukki.

“Would you stop staring,” she told him.

“I’m not!” he complained.

“Absolutely untrue.”

“He’s just so pretty. It’s weird – he makes me feel _OOOH_ and _WAHHH_ and _HHHHNNN_ all at once!”

“Wow,” she said, not fully sure what that meant.

“I have to tell him!”

“What happened to your emotional exploration?”

“I’m canceling it. I’m canceling everything. I have to tell him or I will literally explode!!”

Everything about this seemed like a bad idea, but there was no good way to tell him that, so she just smiled. “Okay, Hinata. If you think so.”

“But not yet!”

 

 _“Not yet”_ apparently meant _“preferably not ever”_ , as he didn’t even mention it for the next three days. Hitoka figured it was probably for the better anyhow, since she could think about other stuff now – you know, stuff that wasn’t _will my best friend make a fool of himself today_.

She passed Tanaka on the way to the locker room, and she was hit with cringe from what she’d said to him the other day. She knew he probably thought it was funny in hindsight, but guilt and anxiety started to send her brain into overdrive.

Hitoka was used to this feeling. She was used to handling it. Usually, she was alone. She was never in the middle of the school campus. She suppressed and breathed through it until she was home, and then allowed herself to break down.

This time, there was no time.

_Locker room, locker room, locker room, locker room, locker room._

She sat down on the bench inside, forcing herself to breathe. She knew how to breathe. This wasn’t the first panic attack she’d ever had.

_In, two, three, four. Hold, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Out, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. In, two, three, four. Hold, two, three-_

_Wait._

_Do I hold for seven or exhale for seven?_

_When do I breathe out?_

_I’m not breathing._

_Breathe, Hitoka, dammit! Pull yourself together!_

But she couldn’t breathe anymore. She hated when this happened: the breathing tactics work just fine, when suddenly she lose count, second-guess herself, and descend back into panic.

Blood was pounding in her ears, heart hammering against her ribs. How long had it been? Seconds? Minutes? Hours? She’d lost all concept of time and space – all that she had left was the agonizing chaos inside her head.

 _Please stop_ , she begged of her brain. _Please. I need to go do things. Please._

It was different when Kiyoko was there too. She could talk to Hitoka, and without even realizing it, Kiyoko would pull me out of her panic.

_Please._

“Hey, has anyone seen Yacchan?”

It was distant and muffled, but Hitoka heard it. She thought it was Tanaka – or maybe it was Nishinoya. They’d never witnessed a panic attack, but they had helped her through anxiety attacks brought on by some of Hinata and Kageyama’s worse fights. There’s a key difference between the two attacks, she’d learned. Noya knew that from Asahi, who knew it from a doctor.

_Doctor. I should really get one of th- agh, please, stop._

On top of the overwhelming panic, it was really just annoying to go through. Her brain was so loud, but not really saying anything. If it quieted down and only said one thing at a time, she could figure this out.

_Slow down. What’s wrong? Stop, please. Just…slowly…_

“No, she went in to change and I haven’t seen her come out.”

“Maybe she’s not feeling well?”

“We really need another girl around!”

“Go get Sudou-senpai from the girls’ practice.” That was definitely Ennoshita.

She wanted to stand up. She wanted to walk out and tell them she was okay! _Let’s just get on with practice!_

But she wasn’t okay. She couldn’t stand up. There was no way she could walk anywhere.

_I hate myself for being like this. It’s just inconvenient for everyone._

“Hey, Yachi-chan? It’s Sudou Rinko, captain of the girls’ team?” The voice was soft and sweet, interrupting muffled sobs and sharp breaths. “I’m coming in, okay, honey?”

Hitoka half-expected to see judgment on Sudou’s face, but instead, there was one of soft understanding.

Sudou came and sat beside Hitoka, offering her hand. With what strength and control Hitoka had left, she grabbed it.

“In, two, three, four.” Hitoka inhaled. “Hold, two, three, four, five, six, seven.” _It was seven._ “Out, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.”

The last stretch of her exhale was shaky, and she felt like she was losing control again.

Sudou squeezed her hand gently to pull her back. “In, two, three, four.” Her counts became one with Hitoka’s breath until she could finally think clearly again.

“Thanks,” Hitoka whispered, voice breaking seven times across a single syllable.

“Are you okay?” Sudou asked.

Hitoka shrugged. “This – ah, this happens sometimes.”

Sudou nodded. “A couple of my girls have anxiety too, so I picked up some stuff to help. You want to go out yet? Or do you need a moment?”

“I – I need a moment.”

“Okay. Would you like me to stay with you?”

“Yes, please.”

“Would you like some water?” Sudou produced a bottle from her bag.

“Th-thank you.” Hitoka sipped some slowly.

“Do you need to talk about anything?”

“I-I don’t know.”

“That’s okay. I know panic doesn’t usually have a cause.”

Hitoka nodded. “I just remembered something I did, and the cringe turned into this overwhelming-”

She hadn’t even realized she started shaking again until Sudou put her hand on my shoulder. “Yachi-chan, you don’t need to trigger yourself for the sake of an explanation.”

“Sorry.”

Sudou smiled kindly, and Hitoka’s lesbian brain basically imploded. “Do you want someone to take you home? My old captain lives nearby. I’m sure she’d be willing.”

“I live kind of far,” Hitoka said. “I don’t want to be a burden.”

“Yui-san loves to drive since she got her license.”

“I-I don’t know.”

“You don’t have to decided right now. We’ll just sit here until you’re ready to go outside.”

“Thank you, Sudou-senpai.”

“So, what’s it like, managing these idiots?” Sudou prompted, trying to get Hitoka’s mind off of it.

“They’re a handful, but I picked up some tricks from Kiyoko-san and Daichi-san to keep them in line – oh! And Suga-san, of _course_.”

“Of course,” Sudou laughed. “I bet Tanaka and Noya are the worst of the bunch.”

“They _are_ ,” Hitoka assured her, feeling the tension in her chest let up a bit. “But I’m pretty good at getting them in line. They were nice to me last year, so I already had some experience.”

“What does it take to make Tanaka-kun shut up?” Sudou asked quietly, mischief sparking in her eyes.

“I usually just have to give him a look, but sometimes I’ll hit him low with something like his – ah – his _crush_ on a friend of his.”

Sudou’s lips twitched in amusement. “Amazing.”

“Yeah,” Hitoka giggled. “Noya is easy enough, though. If I call him ‘senpai’, he goes completely weak and becomes putty in my hands.”

“That so doesn’t surprise me!”

“My classmen are really the tricky ones. I know all their secrets, but we’re too close for me to comfortably hold it over them. I kind of leave it to the senpais to keep them in line.”

“Hey, that’s what the senpais are here for, right!”

“Yeah.” Hitoka’s brain was running right again, but she knew better than to trust it to stay that way. “I might need to take you up on the offer for Yui to drive me home.”

Sudou nodded. “Okay, I’ll call her. And, I’ll wait for her to get here if you’d like. Keep the guys from bugging you too much.”

“Thanks,” Hitoka said for probably the millionth time. “It really means a lot to me.”

Sudou stepped aside and called her former captain, and Hitoka felt my brain get congested with thoughts again. That was the thing about distractions. They weren’t a permanent solution.

“Okay, Yachi-chan. Let’s head out?”

“Okay,” Hitoka said, taking Sudou’s hand again. It was too late, though. The panic cycle was starting back up again.

Once they were outside, Hinata and Yamaguchi tried to fuss over Hitoka, but Sudou was good at keeping them back.

“Come on, guys. Don’t overwhelm her.”

Before either of the, noticed, a tall figure placed oversized headphones on Hitoka, and soft, classical music played in her ears.

She started, then turned to see Tsukishima, looking away in embarrassment.

“Tsukki?” She lifted one of the headphones.

“ _Tch_ , whatever.” He just stared at his phone. “Is it too loud?”

Hitoka shook her head. It was actually kind of relaxing to have something drowning out her thoughts. “Thanks.”

“Whatever,” he repeated, staying by Hitoka as long as Sudou did.

 

When Hitoka returned home, she had both Sudou-senpai’s and Yui-senpai’s numbers in her phone. The panic had sucked, but there definitely could have been worse outcomes. It certainly wasn’t a terrible occurrence to get the numbers of two pretty girls.

She decided if she was going to be home anyways, she should work on some posters for the volleyball club.

She’d taken some really good pictures of Hinata with Kageyama again. Together, those two were the face of the club. She didn’t just want a repeat of last year’s posters again, so she got to work thinking about how she could make it better.

_Mom would probably say that there’s too much going on here. Focus isn’t being brought to any one thing._

She continued flipping through pictures to find the right one, but it was like there really wasn’t one. They weren’t her only options, so she looked through some of Noya to see if any of his seemed more fitting.

Of course, Hitoka could always do a sort of overlay… _closeup on their faces mid-shot…change the opacity…add crow silhouettes maybe…but on a different layer…_

“There’s not enough room for a background.” Her mother had gotten home at some point, and without Hitoka’s noticing, was right behind her. “You want to be able to put your words without taking away from the picture.”

“Right.”

“What’s the focus, Hitoka? Rule of thirds.” She kissed the top of her head before heading out again.

_Focus…_

 

“Noya-san is on this year’s too?! So cool!” Hinata marveled.

It was the morning practice for the next day. Hitoka was hoping that having something to show everyone would distract them from the previous day’s events. The last thing she needed was to think about that.

“I’m on this year’s poster?! I knew those pictures would be too good to pass up!” Noya pushed his way through so he could look. “So cool, Yacchan!”

“Thanks,” she laughed. “Okay, I’ve got to show these to Coach Ukai and Takeda-sensei. Are they here yet?”

Hinata shook his head. “Not yet, no.”

Someone tapped her shoulder, and she turned to see Tsukki. “Oh, hey, Kei-kun. Wanna see the posters I made for us?”

“Oh, um, sure.” He took one to look at. “They’re good. I like the illusion of everyone as birds.”

“Because it looks _awesome_!” Hinata added.

“No,” Tsukishima corrected, “because you’re all bird brains.” He looked back at Hitoka. “Can I talk to you?”

 _Great, this is what I was afraid of._ “Yeah!”

They stepped away from everyone and she tried to keep from wringing her hands.

“I’m not going to coddle or pity you.”

“What a relief,” she said, accidentally harshly.

“I’m just _saying_ ,” he growled, “that I’m… _here_. Or that…you can have my panic playlist, if you…if you want.”

“Y-you have- you have them too?”

He shook his head. “No, but – but Yamaguchi does sometimes, so I – so I know – just – do you want it or not, dammit?”

“Yes, please.” Hitoka tried to analyze his expression, expecting to find maybe embarrassment or even a hint of kindness. Instead, it was his usual annoyance, with an added layer of frustration that he was trying to do something nice.

“Okay. Whatever. I’ll send it to you, then.”

“This is physically paining you,” she observed. “Yet you’re never _mean_ to _me_ , so I can’t see why.”

“Being mean to you would be like punching a kitten,” he snarled. “Even I’m not that bad, Yachi-chan.”

Before she could say anything, he stalked off. She wasn’t sure if she felt lucky to have a friend like him, or if she was annoyed that it was so hard for him to do anything nice. She hadn’t decided yet.

 

“Not a date,” Hitoka sang, pulling clothes out of her closet.

“It’s a _date_!” Hinata countered, voice just as musical.

“Super a date!” Yamaguchi agreed.

“Not-” She found a dress that looked nice, but not _too_ nice. “-a _date_. What about this?”

They both tilted their heads looking at it.

“Try it on,” Yamaguchi instructed, shooing her away.

Hitoka reappeared a couple minutes later, wearing the dress.

“Well, the tag is still on it,” Hinata pointed out.

“What-? Oh!” She tried to rip it off, but she couldn’t reach.

“Here.” Yamaguchi grabbed a pair of scissors off her desk and snipped it.

“Thanks.”

“What time are you guys going out again?” Hinata asked.

“In two hours.” She looked in the mirror and smoothed out the dress, trying to decide if she liked it or not.

“And she’s picking you up?” Yamaguchi verified.

“Yes.”

“Yeah, and _that’s_ not a date,” Hinata giggled.

“Shush! I’ve got to do other stuff to, you know! Hair! Makeup!”

“Because it’s not a date,” Yamaguchi added.

“Shut up!”

“Kiyoko-san is such a lucky woman,” she drawled on, “to have a girlfriend as cute as _you_.”

“Stop!” Hitoka pleaded, falling to her knees. “I’ll never make it through the night with you hooligans in my head like this!”

Yamaguchi walked over and picked up her makeup bag. “You can’t wing a liner worth your shit – pardon me, your _crap_ – so I’m doing your makeup.”

Hitoka pouted at her, but happily allowed Yamaguchi to take her face in her hands and treat her like her canvas. Hitoka knew Yamguchi liked practicing looks on someone else before testing them herself, and Hitoka would never object to a pretty girl touching her face for thirty minutes straight.

“Ooh, do mine next!” Hinata requested, batting his lashes at her.

“What?” Yamaguchi laughed, turning pink.

“Well, makeup is gender neutral,” he explained, “and I like when you touch my face.”

“Took the gay words out of my gay mouth,” Hitoka teased, closing her eyes while Tadashi blended her foundation.

“Oh, stop,” Yamguchi said, getting flustered. It was their prerogative to tease her, though, since she was their best friend. “Shouyou, I know you’re probably just saying it ’cause I’m a girl today, like Yachi-”

“No, I like boys and nonbinary people too.” There was Hinata, launching himself out of the closet like he launched himself into any other situation.

Hitoka heard Yamguchi’s breath catch at the sound of that. “Oh. I – I do too.”

Hitoka did not enjoy the feeling of being a third wheel.

 

“Ooh!” Shouyou cheered when Hitoka’s makeup was done. “So cute, Yacchan!!”

“Alright, your turn,” Yamaguchi laughed.

“Disgusting,” Hitoka muttered when she started putting concealer on him as delicately as she could.

“What?” they both asked innocently.

“Using my makeup to flirt,” Hitoka complained.

“Ah, Yacchan, we can flirt with you, too, if you want!” Shouyou offered, flinching every time the beauty blender touched his cheek.

“Stop moving; it’s gonna crease.”

“Well, why are you doing it so hard?”

“Because that’s how you _do it_!”

“Too much, Yama-chan!” he pouted, flinching again.

“Do you want it to look good?”

“ _Yes_.”

“Then, stay still! Stop crinkling your face. You’re the worst canvas I’ve ever had. Even Tobio doesn’t wiggle this much.”

“Kageyama lets you do his makeup?” Hinata asked, eyes suddenly opened wide. “I didn’t know about this!”

“Ah, I’ve only done it once or twice,” Yamaguchi explained, reaching for her phone. “He likes glam and smoky eyes – figures.”

She handed them the phone with some pictures pulled up.

“ _Whoa_ ,” Hinata breathed, and Hitoka could actually see the hearts dancing around his head.

“You really cut out his cheekbones,” Hitoka noted, zooming in.

“They’re already pretty defined,” Tadashi pointed out.

“ _Yeah_ ,” Hinata agreed, zooming in until he couldn’t zoom anymore.

“Jeez, Shou-kun. Here I thought we were having a moment,” Yamaguchi teased.

“What?” he gasped, jumping back, dropping the phone as if it were suddenly set on fire. “I – no! See, I’ve found that you can think someone’s cute! But then, not have feelings for them beyond that! Moment?!”

“Right in front of my salad,” Hitoka gagged, getting up and walking to the other side of the room.

She took down her hair, wishing it was just a little longer now. Then, she could do something nicer with it. Hitoka was so nervous for something that was just supposed to be old friends catching up, but how much could really happen in a week?

She guessed this was what they’d call, “hanging out,” or something.

Hitoka was grateful to Yamaguchi and her growing makeup skills, because when Hitoka looked in the mirror, a ten-year-old wasn’t staring back at her. Now, a sixteen-going-on-seventeen-year-old? Yeah, that was the girl looking at her.

She didn’t know how to explain it, but she really wanted Kiyoko not to see her as a kid. Hitoka wanted her to not feel the need to tell Bokuto-senpai to watch his dirty mouth around her. She wanted Kiyoko to stop pretending like Hitoka didn’t know anything that wasn’t “pure”, because she wasn’t a kid.

Hitoka wanted Kiyoko to look at her and see the only person here who actually had a shot with her.

 

“Hey,” Hitoka greeted, opening the door when Kiyoko knocked.

“Kiyoko-san!” Yamaguchi cried alongside Hinata’s, “Shimizu-senpai!!”

“Oh!” Kiyoko gasped as she received three hugs instead of only Hitoka’s. “Hi, Hinata-kun. Yamaguchi-chan.”

“Looks like you caught the whole set,” Hitoka laughed. “One guy, one gal, one nonbinary pal.”

“What ever will I do with all of you,” Kiyoko chuckled, smiling fondly at all of them. She had this new confidence about her, and Hitoka only swooned more for her. “You – you look really nice, Hitoka.”

“I can’t take the credit,” Hitoka stammered. “Yama-chan did my makeup.”

“Very nice.” Kiyoko reached out like she was going to touch Hitoka’s cheek but pulled her hand back at the last second (much to Hitoka’s despair). “I’ve never seen such a straight wing.”

“ _Ironic_ ,” Shouyou said through a cough.

Hitoka shot him a look that was like daggers.

“You know,” Tadashi interrupted, “because I’m pan. Ha-ha, Tadashi-chan can make a straight wing!”

Hitoka looked at her graciously before saying, “And because I’m a massive lesbian.”

“I, uh, I got the joke,” Kiyoko assured them, giggling a little at it. “Um, shall we go, then?”

Hitoka nodded, taking her hand. “Bye, you two. Stay out of trouble!”

Kiyoko walked Hitoka to the car, and it really did feel like a date. “Had a whole party helping you get ready, I see?”

Hitoka blushed. “They wouldn’t leave my house.”

Kiyoko nodded. “Bo and Yukie are the same way. They picked out my clothes for me like pushy parents.”

“You’d think we were on a date,” Hitoka blurted out.

Kiyoko squeezed her hand for just a moment before letting go. “It’s too bad you’ve got it pretty bad for some girl that you won’t talk about. And it’s too bad I’ve never gotten it bad for anyone.”

“But I did get her number, at least.” _Hitoka, don’t do it,_ she told herself. But it was too late. The lie was starting to spill.

“Oh, that’s great!” Kiyoko cheered, and it was all genuine – the absolute opposite of when Hinata gaped at Kageyama in front of Yamaguchi.

“Y-yeah!” Hitoka was absolutely implying that it was Sudou-senpai, even though it wasn’t. Even though Kiyoko didn’t even know who she meant. Even though she had _no idea_ Hitoka secretly liked her. “So, what’s new?”

Kiyoko shrugged, starting the car. “Just more homework, honestly. No more wild parties now that the year’s really kicked off.”

“Wild parties?” Hitoka repeated.

“Oh!” Kiyoko turned red. “There were only a couple of those.”

“Sounds fun!”

She shook her head. “I, uh, I don’t really remember.”

Hitoka gasped without thinking, and she tried to hide it, but Kiyoko noticed.

“I blame Yukie!” Kiyoko laughed, sinking down a bit. “She always wants to get me drunk.”

Hitoka was glad she didn’t try and hide it; Kiyoko wasn’t regarding her as an innocent child right now. “Are you that much fun?”

“No! I just encourage Bo to make bad choices! I don’t know why she does it, when it just makes more work for herself.”

“What’d you do?”

“I made him call Akaashi-kun at two in the morning?”

Hitoka snorted.

“It’s not-! It’s not that funny!” Kiyoko protested.

“In two weeks, we’re really setting them up?” Hitoka recalled.

“Yeah.”

“Awesome.”

 

Initial attraction to Kiyoko was obvious, expected. She was a drop-dead gorgeous third-year, and she was talking to _Hitoka_. All Hitoka could think about was how beautiful she was.

She wouldn’t say she really had a crush on Kiyoko until a couple weeks later, after spending hours together every day. She was really funny, and she would go to any lengths to make Hitoka smile when she was feeling anxious. Somewhere in the midst of all this, Kiyoko became her best friend. Hitoka had never had one of those before.

Social anxiety is what it is, but when someone broke into Hitoka’s shell for the first time without startling her…it’s the kind of thing that made her want to hold on forever. Even Shouyou and the other second-years took time to adjust on her.

Even then, it was just a crush. Manageable, and every time they were together platonically, it was more than enough. After a little longer, the feelings developed, changed, and suddenly, it didn’t feel like enough.

Hitoka wanted Kiyoko to notice her more. She didn’t want Kiyoko to keep protecting her. She wanted Kiyoko to see her as almost seventeen, not as a scared little first-year.

Hitoka wanted Kiyoko to like her, like she liked her.

 

Sitting in a café with her, Hitoka wasn’t even sure it was possible. The way she talked about romantic feelings was starting to affect the way Hitoka thought about it. Kiyoko didn’t seem to…have any, for anyone. She didn’t want to press Kiyoko in a way that would make her uncomfortable.

“So, tell me about this girl, _please_!” Kiyoko begged.

Hitoka really wanted to. “She’s, uh, she’s older.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. But not by much,” she added hastily. “I know her through, uh, through volleyball.”

“One of the girls?”

Hitoka nodded. “Yeah. She’s…” _Well, if you’re committing to this lie, you might as well be honest._ “She’s really understanding and gentle.” She felt her face flush red. “I – ah – when I got her number, I was having a panic attack. She helped me breathe through it, got me a ride home, all that good stuff. It just, uh, it made me like her even more.” That wasn’t technically a lie.

“I like her already,” Kiyoko said, emotion building in her eyes. “Anyone who is that nice to you, I approve of!”

Hitoka laughed, pushing her hair behind her ear. Talking about Sudou-san did make her feel a little light and tingly, which was _like_ a crush, right? So, it was only kind of lying. It was just a whole lot newer than she was making it out to be.

Kiyoko talked about her classes, and how the content was fun but the workload was heavy. Hitoka talked about helping Kageyama and Hinata with their homework all the time – though Yamaguchi had been taking care of most of Hinata’s questions lately.

It got a little gossipy, and Hitoka told her about how those two had been getting a lot closer lately.

“But it seems like a bad idea,” Hitoka said guiltily.

“Because?”

“I think…” She lowered her voice. “I think Hinata likes Kageyama.”

Kiyoko nodded. “Yeah, dating someone when you like someone else too isn’t a good idea.”

 

Two weeks raced by in a flurry of practices and studying, and it was finally time to head to Tokyo. It was an interesting two weeks, though.

Sudou-san started joining Hitoka and the second-years for lunch. She liked watching them practice, and occasionally joined in herself. Hitoka liked watching her join.

Hinata and Yamaguchi started dancing around their feelings, and it would have been cute were it not for Kageyama. He was finally catching on, and Hitoka could tell it wasn’t sitting very well with him.

On the bus, Yamaguchi and Hinata sat together. One can imagine how much Tsukki loved that, as if it wasn’t hard enough going back to the place that just reminded him of Kuroo. Hitoka sat with Ennoshita, because Tanaka insisted on sitting with Noya all the time.

The energy was different on the bus this time. It just wasn’t the old Karasuno anymore.

“Your hair is so much longer, Yacchan,” Enno-san noted, tapping a stray lock.

“Yeah, I’m trying to grow it out,” Hitoka explained, smiling over at him. “Hey, how’s your screenplay going? Did you get any more of it done?”

He brightened up at the sound of that. “I am _so_ glad that you asked, Yacchan!” He took out his phone and started opening the document, so she leaned over his shoulder to see. “Okay, here’s where you left off the last time.”

“Ooh, when the apocalypse gets intense.”

Hitoka held the phone and read the script, savoring every second. Not only would it make a great movie someday, but Enno-senpai was such a talented writer that it was already a movie inside her head.

After reading through, she gave the phone back. “So, are the two main people going to realize they’re in love at some point, for a tragic romance?”

“Eh?”

Hitoka felt her face go hot. “Uh, forget I said that! Sorry, they just seemed really close, and all the cues have them looking at each other fondly-”

“They- they’re based…they’re not…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Okay, I guess I do see where you could be getting that.”

“Sorry,” she said again.

He switched to his notes app and typed something quickly. “If they do, someone’s going to have to die immediately afterwards.”

“Well, yeah, it’s an apocalypse.”

“Right.” After a beat, he asked, “What do you think of the dorky sidekick?”

“Which one of them is meant to be the sidekick again? They’re both so evenly developed, I feel like I know them both as a protagonist.”

“That…is such a high compliment, I can’t even begin to tell you. It’s the medical one, not the one usually fighting.”

“Oh. I think he’s really cool. Like, the ‘main character’,” she used hand quotes for emphasis, “would completely die without him, and he’s not useless. Like when he fights off the zombies while the protag is down and out for that scene? Totally awesome!”

“So, do you have any plans for tonight?” he asked after a bit of silence. “I can’t remember if you were close to any of the Tokyo kids.”

“Well, I do look forward to seeing Kenma again,” she said, “but actually…I’m hoping to steal some time from Akaashi Keiji.”

Hitoka might have imagined it, but she was pretty sure Enno-san blushed. “Ah, yes, the setter – and captain, now, right? – of Fukurodani.”

“Ah – yes, that’s the one. Bokuto-san asked me if I could check on him.”

“You – you keep in touch with _Bokuto_?”

“Long story,” Hitoka explained. “But it’s mostly from being in a group chat with him and Kiyoko…-san,” she tagged on hastily.

“That’s so cool!”

“Yeah,” she agreed. “Anyways, since it’s not much playing tonight, I’m hoping I can grab him – especially since the delinquents won’t be holding him hostage for late night practices this time around.”

“Yeah. Would you like me to, er, come with you? You know, captain to captain, and all that?”

Hitoka smiled. “That’d be great, Chikara-senpai!”

 

It was strange to be in Tokyo and not see some of the same faces. Not that she wanted to be overwhelmed by all of them again, but if they had to lose anyone, did it really have to be Bokuto-san? He was always so good at making Hitoka feel at ease.

They were all heading to dinner, and Hitoka started to feel anxious. She knew that Akaashi-san was probably going to be fine – there was no way she could bug him any more than Bokuto-san had before – but it still felt weird. She wondered why she thought it was even a good idea to promise this in the first place.

“Hey, you want to do this now?” Ennoshita asked, noticing Hitoka standing with her plate, staring at the setter.

“Uh – I – yes! Please,” she added.

He motioned with his head before leading the way.

Akaashi-san was sitting alone – not _alone_ , alone, but a couple seats from the rest of his team. Fukurodani had never been a huge team, but it seemed there were even less of them now. He didn’t look sad, per say, but he didn’t look _happy_ , either.

“Akaashi-senpai?” she began, bowing carefully so as to not put her face in her food.

“Hello,” he replied, looking at them curiously. “Ennoshita-san, Yachi-chan.”

She met his eyes for a fraction of a second before she had to look away. _He’s pretty. What the heck?_ “H-hi! May we join you, please?”

“Yes, you may. Though, I’m saving this seat for Kenma.” He gestured to the one next to him. “You can sit over there, though?”

“Thank you, Akaashi-senpai!”

Ennoshita and Hitoka sat down, side by side, across from Akaashi. The setter continued to look at the, quizzically, expectantly. Hitoka realized how strange this probably was.

“I-I’m here be-because…because…because…”

“Bokuto-senpai,” Ennoshita prompted.

“B-Bokuto-san!” she gasped. “He wanted me to – he ah – he said to – well, see because of my friend Kiyoko – see, I’ve sort of befriended – ah…”

“He wants you to check on me?” Akaashi guessed.

“Y-yes!” _Not exactly._

“I mean you no offense, Yachi-chan, but between the two of us, I probably need the least checking up on.”

“It’s – he – well…”

“Is this what you were discussing with him when he pretended that he was having a muscle show-down with you and Kiyoko-san?” Akaashi asked patiently.

She nodded, embarrassed.

“You’re more muscular than you look,” he commented.

“You too,” she blurted out, feeling myself go red.

“Thank you.”

“We really – we weren’t actually – it wasn’t really a muscle show-down.”

“I gathered.”

“But – but Bokuto-san was talking about how he got out of the shower and you threw him – threw him a – a muscle shirt.”

“Because he did not bring a shirt to my house, yes.”

“N-not the point, though!”

“Okay?”

She drew in a shaky breath. _Come on, Hitoka. You’ve got this. You can talk to someone for a friend. Oh…yikes. Is Bokuto-san my friend? I don’t actually know. I should ask him about that._

“Yachi-chan?”

“H-how are you?!” Hitoka said, much too loudly. “I mean, with – without him?”

He blinked. “I think I’m managing the team well enough.”

“I don’t – I don’t really – ah – I think he meant -?”

“How I am, in general?”

“Do you – you miss him?”

“I don’t get much of a chance to, since he comes back every weekend.”

Kenma had joined them a bit ago, and Hitoka could feel him watching her face, analyzing it, trying to piece together what was going on. It was only a matter of time before he put together the pieces.

“When – when he’s not here?”

Akaashi sighed, seemingly defeated. “I miss him. He’s a helpless idiot, and a complete ass, and yes. I miss him. You can tell him that, verbatim.”

“He misses you, too.”

“I gathered as much.”

“It’s all he talks about.”

“…Really?”

“A-according to Kiyoko!”

“Hmm.”

“H-he wants all four of us to hang out on Sunday – if you’d like!”

“Okay.”

 

After the meal, Hitoka started to head to where she’d be sleeping that night, when Akaashi stopped her.

“Yachi-chan,” he said softly.

“Yes?”

“Do you know why Bokuto-san was asking you to tell me all this?”

She nodded uncertainly.

“Why?”

“You’re important to him,” she explained, “and he’s having a really hard time when you’re not around.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooooOOOooH stuff's heating up in the BokuAka subplot
> 
> Follow me on [Twitter](https://www.twitter.com/lovingyachi) and scream with me about Haikyuu!! and other shit


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> get ready for lots of bokuaka and daisuga content bois
> 
> (I actually really love this chapter uwu)

**Get Bokuto with Akaashi**

_9:51 p.m._

**Tiny:** I tried

 **Beef:** and?

 **Tiny:** he misses you a lot

 **Tiny:** but I have no idea if it’s romantic or not

 **Beef:** it’s time for plan b

 **Real One:** bo we don’t have a plan b

 **Beef:** sure we do

 **Beef:** we’re going to go in at the end of camp tomorrow as alumni. I will stay at Aakshi’s that night and hopefully we will profess our mutual undying love

 **Tiny:** that’s not a plan

 **Real One:** Do you have a plan to tell Sudou?

 **Tiny:** no…

 **Real One:** Well, then…

 **Tiny:** alright bo go on and do it

 

_10:04 p.m._

**Sudou:** hey!! U got camp this weekend right? How is it?

 **Yachi:** It’s good!

 **Sudou:** Good! Any cute Tokyo boys?

 **Yachi:** Yea, not that I’m looking though

 **Sudou:** clearly u are if uve noticed~

 **Yachi:** It’s hard not to notice this guy?

 **Yachi:** But idk if he’s really ‘cute’ so much as ‘inhumanly beautiful’ ‘ethereal’ ‘captivating’

 **Yachi:** He’d have to be for me to notice

 **Sudou:** woman of high standards are u? :P

 **Yachi:** No, not like that!!!

 **Yachi:** I just mean

 **Yachi:** I don’t really look at guys!

 **Sudou:** like as a general rule or?

 **Yachi:** I don’t…like…them

 **Sudou:** ohhhhhhhhhhhh

 **Sudou:** any cute tokyo girls?

 **Yachi:** Haven’t had time to check but I can get back to you on that :P

 **Sudou:** why u checking out a cute guy if u got no interest tho

 **Yachi:** blleleheheh his senpai sent me on a mission

 **Sudou:** look at u with the older friends!

 **Yachi:** when we’re talking about Bokuto Koutarou

 **Yachi:** ‘older’ is relative

 **Sudou:** oh ive heard about him from Enno-kun

 **Sudou:** unique one isn’t he

 **Yachi:** Unique, talented, aaaand an overgrown toddler, yea

 **Sudou:** haha!! Should u be talking about your senpai this way?

 **Yachi:** If you knew him, you’d talk about him the same way

 **Yachi:** it’s how Akaashi-san talks about him

 **Yachi:** “he’s a helpless idiot, and a complete ass, and yes, I miss him”

 **Yachi:** verbatim

 **Sudou:** awwww so ur helping out boyfriends then? Cute

 **Yachi:** Ah! Not boyfriends

 **Yachi:** But I think Bo wants for them to be

 **Sudou:** ‘Bo’

 **Yachi:** …kuto-senpai

 **Sudou:** I love how casually ur just besties with these SUPER FAMOUS volleyball stars

 **Yachi:** comes with managing a powerhouse I guess??

 **Sudou:** ur so cool Hitoka-chan

 **Yachi:** hahahah!!! Me?

 **Sudou:** Yea!!!!

 **Yachi:** pffff

 **Yachi:** sounds fake but ok

 **Sudou:** that’s exactly what a cool person would say

 

_10:22 p.m._

**Bokuto:** hey Hitoka who’s sudou

 **Yachi:** huh?

 **Bokuto:** the girl that kiyoko thinks u like??

 **Yachi:** Don’t

 **Yachi:** please

 **Bokuto:** ok ok I wont

 **Bokuto:** I’ve done the same thing

 **Yachi:** who did you pretend to like

 **Bokuto:** who do u think Yacchan

 **Yachi:** Yukie-san, right?

 **Bokuto:** yeahhh

 **Bokuto:** She was real chill abt it though!!

 **Bokuto:** does Sudou know abt this lie

 **Yachi:** She only just found out I’m gay

 **Yachi:** And it’s not fully a lie

 **Bokuto:** just be careful :( I don’t want u to get all sad bc then kiyo would be all sad which would make me all sad

 

**Get Bokuto with Akaashi**

_10:29 p.m._

**Beef:** so the thing is, do u think he likes me though

 **Tiny:** I’m going to do something and you aren’t going to like it

 **Beef:** I already hate it

 **Real One:** What’re you gonna do?

_[Tiny has changed the chat name to Hey, hey, hey]_

**Beef:** this is terrifying

_[Tiny has added Akaashi to the chat.]_

_[Tiny has changed Akaashi to Setter Boy.]_

**Setter Boy:** Yachi-chan, shouldn’t you be asleep?

 **Setter Boy:** I thought we exchanged numbers in case of something important coming up?

 **Tiny:** Forgive me, Akaashi-san, but this is important.

 **Beef:** AAGHJKKKASSSHIIHIIIIEEII

 **Real One:** I’m sending a screenshot of this to Yukie brb

 

_10:33 p.m._

**Kiyoko:** smash or name

 **Kiyoko:** _[screenshot2233.jpg]_

 **Yukie:** that’s a name because he’s greeting him

 **Yukie:** u thnk im an amateur shimishimi??

 

**Hey, hey, hey**

_10:35 p.m._

**Setter Boy:** What is all this about, Bokuto-san?

 **Beef:** missin u

 **Setter Boy:** I have been already filled in on that fact

 **Beef:** aghghghghgghhhhhhhgghkhdsjl I don’t just stop missing u bc yachi told u I miss u

 **Setter Boy:** You know, what’s terrifying, is that could have been an attempt at my name, and there’s no way of knowing.

 **Real One:** Yukie says that one was a smash

 **Setter Boy:** Thank you – Kiyoko-senpai, I presume?

 **Real One:** Hello, Akaashi-kun!

 **Tiny:** Bo……………..

 **Beef:** Hito…………...

 **Tiny:** KOUTAROUUUUUUUUUU

 **Beef:** HITOKAAAAAAAAAAAAA

 **Tiny:** I can do this all night

 **Setter Boy:** What is all this about, Bokuto-san??

 **Beef:** MISSIN U

 **Setter Boy:** Just because you repeat your previous answer in all caps does not change the meaning of it.

 **Beef:** Missin u…<3

 **Setter Boy:** Can’t this wait until Sunday?

 **Beef:** aren’t I sleeping over tomorrow?? D:

 **Setter Boy:** yes.

 **Beef:** u don’t miss me too

 **Setter Boy:** I know for a fact that you have already had this conversation with Yachi-chan.

 **Beef:** do u??

 **Setter Boy:** Yes, Bokuto-san. I miss you.

 **Beef:** I don’t like hitting tosses from ppl who aren’t u

 **Setter Boy:** It’s not like you’ve never had to do that before.

 **Setter Boy:** Sugawara-san is very competent.

 **Beef:** ikkkkk

 **Beef:** but hes not u

 **Setter Boy:** Next year, you can hit my tosses again. Don’t get dejected, Bokuto-san.

 **Beef:** u don’t know that unless u really wanna come to school here

 **Setter Boy:** It’s a good school. It was on my list anyways. Recruiters called for me as well as you.

 **Beef:** what if a better school recruits u and we never play together again?????????

 **Tiny:** Bo.

 **Beef:** what if I have to play against u??? id just dieeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 **Setter Boy:** Bokuto-san.

 **Setter Boy:** If we have to play against one another, I expect you to play well.

 **Real One:** Koutarou, breathe. You need to come over?

 **Beef:** yea…is yukie ok w it

 **Real One:** I’m sure.

 **Beef:** be there in a few

 

_11:01 p.m._

**Akaashi:** Yachi-chan, why did you put me in that chat?

 **Akaashi:** It’s clear that Bokuto-san needs to talk about something, but I don’t think he can talk to me about it. I don’t think he wants to.

 **Yachi:** You talk like you know what it is

 **Akaashi:** He has been my best friend for over two years. I have my speculations. It’s not right to press someone for those sorts of things.

 **Akaashi:** When did you start using given names for one another?

 **Yachi:** Somewhere between shaming him for smelling his crush’s hair bc I’ve done the same, and us discussing whether or not it is a good idea to sleep in the same room as someone you like.

 **Akaashi:** He smelled her hair?

 **Yachi:** yeah…

 **Akaashi:** Absolutely tactless. She didn’t notice, did she?

 **Yachi:** I can assure you with complete certainty that she did not.

 

_11:08 p.m._

**Yachi:** bo I thought he was meant to be smart

 **Yachi:** _[clueless_screenshot.jpg]_

 **Bokuto:** behold the love of my life

 **Yachi:** People only get stupid like that if they like someone and are in denial, bo

 **Bokuto:** he doesn’t feel that way otherwise hed say so

 **Yachi:** denial

 **Bokuto:** no don’t plant false hope

 

**Second-Year Squad <3 :D**

_8:01 p.m._

**Sunshine Child:** Yacchan help I want Akaashi to practice with me like last time but he won’t

 **Pure Bean:** he’s heading home tonight instead of tomorrow morning, he has company coming

 **Sunshine Child:** how do u know this stuf??

 **Pure Bean:** because he…told me.

 **Gucci:** :0 u talk to him?!?!?!?

 **Pure Bean:** Yeah, I had to because Bokuto asked me to

 **Saltishima:** Right, I’m sure that Bokuto is that one who’s going over to see him, right?

 **Saltishima:** Going home early so he can bang his boyfriend?

 **Pure Bean:** They’re not dating

 **Pure Bean:** Also what do you know about that situation?

 **Saltishima:** That they check each other out when the other isn’t looking and it’s DISGUSTING

 **Saltishima:** and not in the funny way that Kuroo and Bokuto did when they WERE looking and then they’d grope each other because I guess that’s what best friends like that do

 **Saltishima:** But like in the way that they would get all flustered and we would have to take a break if they stared too long

 **Sunshine Child:** how come I don’t remember this?

 **Saltishima:** Because you’re a clueless dumbass who doesn’t notice anything ever

 **Grump:** I didn’t see them do that in the practice games

 **Saltishima:** You are the least observant person in the universe.

 **Gucci:** You know what I have to beg to differ

 **Pure Bean:** ^

 **Sunshine Child:** ^^

 **Saltishima:** You know what? Just for that?

_[Saltishima has changed Pure Bean to Rude.]_

_[Saltishima has changed Sunshine Child to Shrimp.]_

_[Saltishima has changed Gucci to SHUT UP.]_

**Rude:** What are you, Kei? Seven years old?

 **SHUT UP:** Oh no, I’m so ///bothered/// by my new chat name, if only I could ///change it///

_[SHUT UP has changed name to Gucci.]_

**Shrimp:** I’m going to kick u.

_[Shrimp has changed name to Sunshine Child.]_

**Rude:** I think mine is kinda funny actually

 **Rude:** might keep it

 **Rude:** thanks kei!

 **Saltishima:** …

 **Rude:** fr though what’s your problem Tsukki??

 **Saltishima:** I don’t have a problem!!!

 **Rude:** Are you sad? Jealous that Akaashi gets to see Koutarou and you don’t? :(

 **Saltishima:** Did you really just call him ‘Koutarou’

 **Rude:** That’s his name…

 **Saltishima:** NO SHIT

 **Rude:** We call each other given names sometimes

 **Saltishima:** What?

 **Rude:** friendship Kei

 

**It’s a Small World After All**

_10:22 p.m._

**Oikawa:** hey why didn’t I ever get a fun name in this gc?

 **Ushijima:** I never got one either.

 **Ushijima:** Also, how did Tendou never get invited?

 **Thighs:** whoops, on it

_[Thighs has added Tendou to the group.]_

**Oikawa:** but my naaaaaammmmeee

 **Tendou:** ur name is oikawa tooru

 **Tendou:** do u have amnesia or something onikawa

 **Oikawa:** don’t call me that

_[Thighs has changed Oikawa to Onikawa.]_

**Thighs:** :)

 **Onikawa:** Listen up thigh-chan change it right here right now or I will storm to your dorm and barge in and probably walk in on you and refreshing-chan doing something nASTY and it’ll be awkward for all of us

 **Mom Friend:** Daichi is a great multitasker, but

 **Mom Friend:** if we were having sex, he would not be texting u, tooru

 **Thighs:** SUGA

 **Mom Friend:** I’m not saying we DO HAVE sex I’m just saying if we WERE u’d be preoccupied

 **Daddy Cat:** things heating up in the Sawamura/Sugawara fandom

 **Gorgeous:** ew please you guys don’t talk about your sex life here

 **Thighs:** Kiyoko, there isn’t even a sex life to discuss. How did this get turned onto me?

 **Onikawa:** ahem

 **Onikawa:** to quote u

 **Onikawa:** :)

 **Thighs:** Whatever, alien lover boy.

 **Onikawa:** u think that’s an insult?

 **Thighs:** I’ve implied you fuck aliens, so yea

 **Onikawa:** I haven’t ever fucked an alien, but when they come to earth – and they WILL – I will offer myself to them to explore the human form

 **Onikawa:** I will be their example of perfect

 **Onikawa:** what a beautiful man is meant to look like

 **Thighs:** What the FUCK Oikawa

 **Onikawa:** see there is nothing u can do that I can’t turn into being weird for u

 **Thighs:** Ok, fine, I concede this round to you.

_[Thighs has changed Onikawa to Alien Lover.]_

**Thighs:** Better?

 **Alien Lover:** :D

 **Tendou:** dai-kuuuuuunnnnnnn!!

 **Tendou:** what about meeee??!?

_[Thighs has changed Tendou to Demon Child.]_

**Demon Child:** :D

 **Thighs:** Yeah, alright.

 **Demon Child:** what about wakatoshi-kun

 **Ushijima:** I do not really care about the fun name, but I would enjoy being included.

 **Gorgeous:** (listen, guys, I think Ushiwaka is an angel.)

 **Yukippe:** (legit hes so nice)

 **Daddy Cat:** (fr)

 **Daddy Cat:** hey has anyone talked to bo today??

 **Daddy Cat:** kinda surprised the conversation of Daichi drilling it into suga didn’t summon him

 **Mom Friend:** wow let’s clear something up right now

 **Thighs:** Let’s not.

 **Mom Friend:** that’s not how that would go

 **Thighs:** Suga, please! Stop!

 **Mom Friend:** I’m not saying it DOES GO I’m just saying if it DID GO it wouldn’t go LIKE THAT

 **Thighs:** I’m going to leave this chat

 **Yukippe:** yea he’s w Keiji

 **Daddy Cat:** ohhhhhhhhhhh

 **Daddy Cat:** &I need to make a correction…

_[Daddy Cat has changed Mom Friend to Sinnamon Roll.]_

**Sinnamon Roll:** ah yes my true form has been unleashed

 **Daddy Cat:** though it’s worth mentioning that if ur not a top ur probably a demanding power bottom

 **Sinnamon Roll:** oh that could be true

 **Gorgeous:** “I’m not saying I want to fuck you but I am saying that if I did it wouldn’t be like that jeez BOKE”

 **Gorgeous:** seriously Koushi

 **Sinnamon Roll:** WHO ARE U. WE’VE BEEN FRIENDS FOR 3 YEARS. I FEEL LIKE WE’RE MEETING ONLY FOR THE FIRST TIME.

 **Yukippe:** u would’ve seen this sooner if u didn’t propose every time she made eye contact

 **Sinnamon Roll:** THAT WAS ONE TIME

 **Yukippe:** shit dude u really asked my girl to marry u?

 **Sinnamon Roll:** uh no?

 **Gorgeous:** because I held his hand for one (1) second

 **Yukippe:** damn are there any of ur friends u don’t want to give it to?

 **Sinnamon Roll:** !!!!!! stop??

 **Thighs:** It’s almost as if you – gasp – brought this upon yourself.

 **Gorgeous:** did you have it bad for Asahi too?

 **Sinnamon Roll:** oh my GODDDD

 **Gorgeous:** I mean its ok we all think hes cute right guys

 **Thighs:** Yeah, for sure, I for one get it

 **Sinnamon Roll:** DAICHIIII

 **Thighs:** Again, you did this to yourself.

 **Sinnamon Roll:** hhhhhhhhjhjhalhdha wrleijidkjvfbvh

 **Yukippe:** cant believe we found someone thirstier than bo

 **Daddy Cat:** like a fuckin miracle

 **Demon Child:** hey, not to interrupt this FASCINATING conversation about whether or not Suga is a power bottom or a top

 **Demon Child:** but will someone please give wakatoshi-kun a fun name??????? :)

_[Thighs has changed Ushijima to Angelic.]_

**Thighs:** There.

 **Angelic:** Thank you.

_1:02 a.m._

**Great Horny Owl:** WAIT WHAT

 **Great Horny Owl:** I CAN’T BELIEVE I MISSED ALL THIS

 **Daddy Cat:** how was ur night w ur setter

 **Great Horny Owl:** _[sleeping_angel.jpg]_

 **Daddy Cat:** did yall do it

 **Great Horny Owl:** no we’re just sleeping together like usual

 **Daddy Cat:** u sure that’s a good idea man

 **Great Horny Owl:** we share a bed sometimes why is this different

 **Yukippe:** yall what now

 **Great Horny Owl:** sure like if we watch a scary movie and I have a bad dream we cuddle

 **Daddy Cat:** that’s what friends are for

 **Daddy Cat:** but we’re not in love like u n Keiji

 **Great Horny Owl:** we’re not in love either

 **Daddy Cat:** whatever man we’ll discuss it when u get home.

 

**Hey, hey, hey**

_7:30 p.m._

**Beef:** agh u guys are gone n now idk what to do or say

 **Beef:** Hitoka u didn’t talk to him for me as thoroughly as I expected

_[Tiny kicked Setter Boy from the group.]_

**Tiny:** Koutarou, you know ily, but dude, try to remember what chat this is

 **Beef:** ka;kjejhga uehdck

 **Tiny:** You okay?

 **Real One:** you hardly spoke today while we bowled, which is really unlike you.

 **Beef:** he’s good at EVERYTHIGN

 **Tiny:** That’s true

 **Tiny:** except he’s bad at reading your feelings when they’re directed at him.

 **Real One:** Hitoka, you bowl a pretty good game yourself!

 **Tiny:** Kiyoko, we all bowled a good game.

 **Tiny:** We had the guard rails up.

 **Beef:** no one answered my QUESTIONS and I just asked him to cuddle with me

 **Beef:** I’m blaming all of u

 **Real One:** what did he say?

 **Beef:** ..yes

 **Beef:** we’re going back to his house now

 **Tiny:** THEN WHY ARE YOU COMPLAINING

 **Beef:** because I just had to ASK HIM WHOS SUPPOSED TO BE THE LITTLE SPOON

 **Real One:** you’re so hopeless Koutarou wtf

 **Beef:** I like to cuddle my friends so it’s not weird or anything I just feel stupid

 **Tiny:** as long as you’re self aware

 **Beef:** :0

 **Beef:** I can’t believe I just got sassed by an anxious shrimp

 **Tiny:** I can’t believe I’ve become good friends with my senpai who acts like a TODDLER.

 **Real One:** touché

 **Beef:** shouldn’t I be the one who says that

 **Beef:** u know what nvm

 **Beef:** at least I don’t distract myself by busying myself in my FRIENDS BUSINESS instead of dealing with my own feelings

 **Tiny:** to be fair I don’t want you dealing with my business and you asked for our fucking helP??

 **Beef:** WELL UR VERY UNHELPFUL, HITOKA

 **Tiny:** ok Bokuto

_9:52 p.m._

**Beef:** we fell asleep he’s so cozy but I have to get back to school o.o

 **Real One:** YOU HAVE A 9AM CLASS TMR GET YOUR ASS BACK TO SCHOOL THIS INSTANT -Yukie

 **Beef:** I want to but also

 **Beef:** _[hhhhnnnnnnnggg.jpg]_

 **Tiny:** oh my god

 **Tiny:** he’s so cute

 **Beef:** see??!?

 **Tiny:** you can stand to miss a class for that

 **Beef:** RIGHT AND ATTENDANCE ISN’T EVEN PART OF MY GRADE AND TELL YUKIE SH’ES NOT MY REAL MOM

 **Real One:** dude ngl I would skip every class for that even if attendance was a part of my grade

 **Tiny:** he’s so CUTE what the HECKK

 **Tiny:** but it’s probably unwise to leave you cuddling unsupervised, so im sorry

 

_9:58 p.m._

**Yachi:** psst Akaashi wake up Koutarou has an early class

 **Yachi:** next week if you’re gonna cuddle him you should probably like

 **Yachi:** idk

 **Yachi:** be the one to go visit him

 **Akaashi:** How did you know we were cuddling?

 **Akaashi:** Also, thank you for waking me.

 **Yachi:** Well, I’m psychic

 **Yachi:** Also, Bokuto told me

 **Akaashi:** Yeah, he’s muttering about how he will never tell you anything again, that you’ve ruined his day, etc.

 **Yachi:** I don’t blame him. You kind of look like an angel when you’re sleeping.

 **Yachi:** no romo though like I’m a lesbian just making an observation

 **Akaashi:** Thank you?

 

**Hey, hey, hey**

_10:03 p.m._

**Beef:** UNFRIENDED. NEVER TALK TO ME AGAN HITOKA. I CANNOT BELIEV. RUINED. UTIAHDJKJDLFLHD. I HAVE TO GO BACK NOW.AJK;FDSKJA;J;AHJ

 **Tiny:** dude

 **Tiny:** you can’t spent eternity with Akaashi in your arms platonically

 **Tiny:** if you like him just say something dude

 **Beef:** D: I can’t

 **Real One:** if you get dejected at practice tomorrow I’m going to kick your ass to the moon

 

_10:06 p.m._

**Yachi:** Hey, Akaashi-san, for purely scientific reasons…is Bo as soft as he looks? Like, are his hugs warm and make you feel safe from the world, like a little baby bird cuddled safely in a nest?

 **Akaashi:** That was incredibly specific imagery, Yachi-chan.

 **Yachi:** I haven’t hugged him, because most of our interactions are digital.

 **Akaashi:** …well, your imagery was also surprisingly accurate.

 **Akaashi:** and…he smells like cinnamon and sandalwood on days that he hasn’t worked out or played volleyball

 **Yachi:** uh

 **Akaashi:** with notes of vanilla

 **Yachi:** roight

 **Yachi:** so that was more than what I asked for

 **Yachi:** and as a gay can I just say

 **Yachi:** that sounds…pretty gay my dude

 **Akaashi:** I did just spend two and a half hours in his arms, and there wasn’t much else to think about, alright?

 **Akaashi:** it’s not like I went around smelling his hair

 **Yachi:** I don’t just do that to the girls I like you know

 **Akaashi:** Suuuurreeeeeee

 **Yachi:** whoa you can do that

 **Akaashi:** I think we’ve officially passed the professionalism style of texting

 **Yachi:** friendship? :0

 **Akaashi:** something like that, sure

 **Yachi:** :D

 **Akaashi:** you know, I didn’t realize it irl but youre actually kind of like him?

 **Akaashi:** the enthusiasm part

 **Akaashi:** but instead of crippling depression, you’ve got crippling anxiety

 **Yachi:** ye

 **Akaashi:** I see how you became friends so quickly.

 **Yachi:** what about you? How’d you become besties with beefy bo?

 **Akaashi:** he would not leave me alone in my first year and then I became his vice captain and it all went downhill from there

 **Yachi:** “downhill”

 **Yachi:** says the man who fell asleep in his arms?

 **Akaashi:** he literally got to the end of my street and came back

 **Yachi:** watcha gon do

 **Akaashi:** cave in and let him stay the night again

 **Akaashi:** obviously

 **Yachi:** you know I had the impression that you kind of controlled Bo like he was a disobedient, temperamental puppy and you were his handler

 **Yachi:** but while the puppy thing is true…you just fall for the Look™ every tiem

 **Akaashi:** tiem

 **Yachi:** tiem

 **Akaashi:** tIeM

 **Yachi:** TiEm

 **Akaashi:** not every time

 **Akaashi:** just…a lot of the time

 **Yachi:** so what flavor queerio are you my guy bc you’re obviously a little weak in the knees for Koutarou

 **Akaashi:** what

 **Yachi:** I will reiterate that I’m a lesbian

 **Akaashi:** yeah, I caught that

 **Yachi:** you don’t want to tell me because you think I’ll tell him yeah?

 **Akaashi:** a little

 **Akaashi:** I am gay.

 **Yachi:** noice

 **Yachi:** gay/lesbian solidarity

 **Akaashi:** don’t expect me to get into Bokuto feelings with you just for the love of mlm/wlw solidarity

 **Yachi:** ok

 **Akaashi:** because he could accidentally see it

 **Yachi:** yea for sure I get it man

 **Akaashi:** so I cant tell you that even if I probably need to vent

 **Akaashi:** right

 **Yachi:** right

 **Akaashi:** but he’s in the shower now

 **Yachi:** what a slut

 **Akaashi:** pardon

 **Yachi:** nvm

 **Yachi:** you gonna survive?

 **Akaashi:** no

 **Yachi:** cuz you like him

 **Akaashi:** yea

 **Yachi:** good luck

 **Akaashi:** the man doesn’t know what a shirt is

 **Yachi:** haha I remember that from last time

 **Akaashi:** I’m going to kill him, he came back to my room in just a towel because he forgot his clothes I’m going to kill him I’m going to kill him

 **Yachi:** “accidentally” though Im sure

 **Akaashi:** I hate him

 **Akaashi:** he’s the worst

 **Yachi:** you’re such a tsundere Akaashi-san

 

**It’s a Small World After All**

_2:09 a.m._

**Daddy Cat:** BOKUTO KOUTAROU. WHERE ARE YOU. NEVER CAME HOME. YOU COULD BE DEAD. BETTER ANSWER MY FUCKING TEXT OR I’LL MARCH MY ASS ALL THE WAY HOME TO FUCKING TOKYO AND DRAG YOUR SORRY ASS OUT OF YOUR LOVER BOY’S BED AND BEAT YOU WITH A FUCKING CHAIR.

 **Daddy Cat:** WORRIED OUT OF MY FUCKING MIND, KOUTAROU.

 **Great Horny Owl:** I’ve decided…im not going to class tomorrow

 **Daddy Cat:** YOU’RE IN HIS BED AGAIN AREN’T YOU

 **Great Horny Owl:** _[but_daaaaaaddd.jpg]_

 **Daddy Cat:** shit dude he’s snuggling u I cant be mad at u for that

 **Great Horny Owl:** RIGHT

 **Sinnamon Roll:** awwwwww

 **Sinnamon Roll:** you look so cozyyyy

 **Sinnamon Roll:** dammit now I want a cuddle friend where do I get one

 **Alien Lover:** I’ll cuddle u Koushi<3

 **Sinnamon Roll:** thanks tooru ur a true friend <3

 **Thighs:** Literally one room away from you if you want attention I will give you attention?

 **Sinnamon Roll:** I WANT ATTENTION

 **Thighs:** be there in a sec

 **Gorgeous:** looks like dadchi’s getting jealous of momkawa

 **Alien Lover:** am I a mom

 **Alien Lover:** always thought iwa-chan was the mom

 **Gorgeous:** uh iwaizumi-kun is definitely a dad

 **Alien Lover:** yeah so I’m telling him that u said that

 **Gorgeous:** well he just seems like more of the type to use tough love and make bad puns during tense situations in an attempt to lighten the mood. You seem like the type to shower your team with love and attention and disciplining them is hard. Also you want to fight anyone who’s ever hurt them.

 **Alien Lover:** who knew that motherhood/fatherhood was determined by parenting style and not by gender

 **Gorgeous:** welcome to volleyball

_6:30 a.m._

**Great Horny Owl:** _[ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.jgp]_

 **Gorgeous:** holy shit

 **Great Horny Owl:** ;akdfgyuahejdkdvnj hvujskl mhfdjskma

 **Great Horny Owl:** god are u there its me Koutarou

 **Great Horny Owl:** can I @ u on twitter to thank u for this

 **Great Horny Owl:** he’s so delicate when he’s sleeping

 **Yukippe:** u don’t deserve him kou

 **Great Horny Owl:** I knowwww

 

_7:02 a.m._

**Akaashi:** he almost made me late for school

 **Yachi:** pfff

 **Akaashi:** it’s not funny! He clung to my waist and begged me to play hooky with him! I’m still in high school! It’s not the same as him skipping his class this morning!

 **Yachi:** did you guys confess then?

 **Akaashi:** no, he’s always been like this

 **Yachi:** really

 **Akaashi:** yeah

 **Yachi:** dude.

 **Yachi:** dUdE

 **Akaashi:** Yachi-chan, please stop saying that over and over.

 **Yachi:** Oh, back to formal, are we?

 **Akaashi:** no, sorry, I’m feeling a bit flustered this morning

 **Akaashi:** he was kinda staring at me when I woke up, and like

 **Akaashi:** idk

 **Yachi:** d u d e

 **Akaashi:** yeah, yeah, I know

 

**Second-Year Squad <3 :D**

_7:11 a.m._

**Saltishima:** Yachi, do you have notes from Friday? I can’t find mine in my bag.

 **Gucci:** u left them at my place

 **Saltishima:** Oh, sorry.

 **Gucci:** s’okay, I’ll just have to bring them to u! :)

 **Saltishima:** Thanks..

 **Rude:** Still wanna borrow mine? Yaknow, cuz yours are illegible half the time :P

 **Saltishima:** They say intellectuals have messier handwriting

 **Rude:** Nice try, but up until this year I’ve been a class ahead of you.

 **Saltishima:** Shut up

 **Rude:** You can’t make me

 **Rude:** Oh hey since I got your attention I gotta question

 **Saltishima:** ugh what

 **Rude:** Well, are you still close with Bokuto and Akaashi?

 **Saltishima:** We were never close to begin with

 **Rude:** Tsukki.

 **Saltishima:** yea im still in a gc with them and kuroo and lev and sunshine the shithead

 **Rude:** Thank you.

 **Rude:** Anyways, my question

 **Saltishima:** I thought that was your question.

 **Rude:** Do you think Koutarou and Akaashi even kind of are aware the other reciprocates their feelings or like what

 **Saltishima:** As far as I can tell, they’re both morons on the subject matter.

 **Rude:** Thanks.

 **Saltishima:** Why the hell are you asking me something like that anyways?

 **Rude:** Ah, they’re both texting me about it nonstop and I’m starting to get secondhand anxiety about it

 **Saltishima:** Anxiety?

 **Saltishima:** Listen to the music and breathe

 **Rude:** yea so I’m not having a panic attack my dude but thanks?

 **Rude:** The music really has helped me a lot though, so thank you.

 **Gucci:** oh, did he give that to u too?

 **Sunshine Child:** what are u guys talking about?

 **Saltishima:** Nothing!!

 **Rude:** Right. Nothing.

 **Grump:** I didn’t know that they liked each other?

 **Saltishima:** We were just talking about this a few days ago. Old news

 **Rude:** I feel bad for gossiping, but they’re just so bad at this!

 **Sunshine Child:** how are u any better

 **Sunshine Child:** didn’t u invent a new crush on Sudou-senpai to throw kiyoko off ur scent

 **Saltishima:** That’s so…lame, Hitoka-chan

 **Rude:** I will shove your notebook up your ass

 **Saltishima:** No you won’t, because your IRL confidence lacks whereas you will threaten to fight any and everyone digitally

 **Rude:** Ok that is true

 **Rude:** to be fair, it’s not entirely an invention

 **Grump:** She seems to like you

 **Grump:** because she’s always hanging out with you when she can

 **Sunshine Child:** that doesn’t always mean something STUPID

 **Sunshine Child:** sometimes u just wanna be with someone as friends so even if u like them as more u cant just outright say it

 **Saltishima:** Speaking from experience, Shrimp?

 **Sunshine Child:** No!! Not my experience!!

 **Gucci:** is it noya-san

 **Gucci:** u always are kinda checking him out ;P

 **Sunshine Child:** purely aesthetic attraction

 **Saltishima:** How do you know what any of those words mean

 **Sunshine Child:** google!

 **Sunshine Child:** This isn’t the coming out that I planned…

 **Sunshine Child:** But hey!! I’m pan!!

 **Gucci:** aw good for u shouyou

 

_7:29 a.m._

**Sudou:** ahhhhhhhghhghghg hey sorry for txting literally right before your morning practice but im home sick today so I wont be at lunch :( idk if u care but ig we’ve had sort of a standing thing?

_12:31 p.m._

**Yachi:** Oh! No worries, Sudou-san!

 **Sudou:** Spike a ball for me! ;P

 **Yachi:** _[how_awful.mp4]_

 **Sudou:** I was just teasing but omg so cute

 **Yachi:** I missed!!!

 **Sudou:** haha!! That’s ok though!! U got so close to hitting it!!

 **Yachi:** no I didn’t!!

 **Sudou:** I could teach u how to hit the ball sometime…if u want

 **Yachi:** I’m a hopeless case…Kageyama and Hinata have been trying to teach me for months :(

 **Sudou:** no! I bet u’d be real good at it once u learned

 **Sudou:** besides, a genius and a prodigy aren’t exactly good teachers, because it’s something that comes naturally to them

 **Yachi:** well…it could be fun, so yeah!!

 

_7:31 p.m._

**Yachi:** Hey, senpai, just locked up the gym with the freaks

 **Ennoshita:** Good, good!!

 **Yachi:** How do you know if a girl is hitting on you?

 **Ennoshita:** …Pardon?

 **Yachi:** I don’t know! Do we know any lesbians?

 **Yachi:** Any that aren’t me??

 **Ennoshita:** Ah, I don’t know? I didn’t…I didn’t even know that you were gay? Have you told me this and I missed it?

 **Yachi:** No, no!

 **Yachi:** Sorry, I forgot about who knows and who doesn’t

 **Yachi:** it’s just…

 **Ennoshita:** What is it, Yacchan?

 **Yachi:** Does…do you know if…if Sudou-senpai…

 **Yachi:** likes girls?

 **Ennoshita:** Idk, I’m really not that close with her, im sorry

 **Ennoshita:** So…do you like her?? ;)

 **Yachi:** yessss

 **Ennoshita:** Awwwwww!!!!!!

 **Yachi:** ah gimme a break!!

 **Ennoshita:** our little Yacchan is in lovvveeeee<3

 **Yachi:** what are you, my mother? Ennoshita please!

 **Ennoshita:** I mean yea

 **Ennoshita:** I took over when Suga retired…Yama will take over after me…that’s how this works

 **Yachi:** I bet Sakai will be the mom after her

 **Ennoshita:** TRUEEEE

 **Ennoshita:** back to the part where you were talking about your feelings though?

 **Yachi:** ah, yea. Well, she wants to teach me how to play. I sent her a video of me trying to spike bc she was sick at home so we couldn’t eat together like usual, and she said it was cute

 **Yachi:** but the thing is that I look like I’m 7

 **Yachi:** so it’s impossible to tell how she’s defining cute

 **Ennoshita:** Oh, yeah, that does pose a challenge

 **Yachi:** “no, Hitoka-chan, you don’t look like you’re 7. It’s obvious that you’re turning 17 in a couple months. Don’t worry about it Hitoka-chan”

 **Ennoshita:** isn’t it also hard because friends…say stuff like that to each other?

 **Yachi:** yesss

 **Yachi:** that is what makes it IMPOSSIBLE to tell

 **Yachi:** as it is, the only thing that separates romantic love from platonic love is the chemistry your bodies produce because of each other, or something like that

 **Ennoshita:** Pretty much

 **Yachi:** too complicated

 **Yachi:** forget I even brought it up im sorry

 **Ennoshita:** No, no!! It’s okay!! You can come to me with stuff whenever!!

 **Ennoshita:** As the captain and as the team mom, I’m here for you

 **Yachi:** thanks…

 **Ennoshita:** hey wait so you’re a lesbian?

 **Yachi:** yep

 **Ennoshita:** THAT’S FANTASTIC

 **Yachi:** why

 **Ennoshita:** YOU CAN COME TO THE TEAM SLEEPOVER NOW AND NO ONE HAS TO FEEL LIKE ITD BE WEIRD BECAUSE YOU’RE GAY AND SO IS HALF THE TEAM SO LIKE IT’S OKAY

 **Yachi:** whoa there senpai I am not out to everyone yet

 **Ennoshita:** Sorry, I didn’t mean to get ahead of myself, but!!!!

 **Ennoshita:** I’m hosting it this year!!!!

 **Ennoshita:** And I have more of my script written but no time to show you!!!!

 **Yachi:** Do the guys end up confessing before getting their brains eaten???

 **Ennoshita:** You have to read to find out!

 **Yachi:** shit man id come out of every closet in japan for an answer to that question

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you had fun! There's angst to come! :) maybe not next week or the week after...but the week after _that_ , buckle up buddy
> 
> Follow me on [Twitter](https://www.twitter.com/awkwardfangirl6) and scream with me about Haikyuu!! and other shit

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [Twitter](https://www.twitter.com/lovingyachi) and scream with me about Haikyuu!! and other shit


End file.
